Prize Recipient


Recipient Picture

Siyao Xu
Peking University, China

Citation:

"For thesis topic, "Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence: Resolving Astrophysical Puzzles."

Background:

Siyao Xu received a B.Sc. in Physics from Shandong University in 2011 and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Peking University in 2017. Siyao’s thesis work focused on constructing predictive theories of the magnetic field generation by turbulence and the dissipation of MHD turbulence.  The thesis promoted the astrophysical applications of MHD turbulence theories, including (i) the particle acceleration and radiation in high-energy phenomena, e.g., Gamma-Ray Bursts, supernova remnants, cosmic rays; (ii) interstellar density fluctuations and the effect on observations, e.g., Faraday rotation, scattering measurements of Galactic and extragalactic radio sources; (iii) density and magnetic field structure in molecular clouds toward star formation. It demonstrates the key role of MHD turbulence in connecting diverse astrophysical processes and unraveling long-standing astrophysical problems.  Dr. Xu is a 2017 recipient of the International Astronomical Union PhD prize. Dr. Xu is currently a Hubble Fellow at University of Wisconsin, Madison. 


Selection Committee:

2019 Selection Committee Members: Daniel Castro (Chair), Tonia Venters, Marilena Loverde, and Judy Racusin

2019 FinalistsAlexander Ji, Jennifer Barnes, Siyao Xu