# 2017 Fall Award Recipients

Plasma Physics, Fluid Dynamics, and Early Career physicists honored in annual awards

July 14, 2017 | Rachel Gaal

Each year, APS receives hundreds of nominations from scholars around the world, all hoping to recognize a colleague or pupil through the Society’s prizes and awards. The Fall 2017 awards recognized individuals from the U.S. and abroad, in the fields of fluid dynamics and plasma physics. Each award will be presented at an upcoming APS meeting this Fall:

2017 Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics: Xiang Yang of Stanford University, "For developing the novel integral wall modeling concept for large eddy simulations based on fundamental principles and for groundbreaking insights into the scaling implications of the attached eddy model for understanding fluctuations in wall-bounded turbulent flows."

Recognized for his original work of outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of fluid dynamics, Yang’s doctoral thesis was on modeling of drag forces and velocity fluctuation statistics in wall-bounded flows at high Reynolds numbers. Under the supervision of Charles Meneveau and Rajat Mittal, Yang completed his Ph.D. in 2016, and now is a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Turbulence Research at Stanford University. His current work focuses on near-wall turbulence modeling, where he models processes in wall-bounded flows. This $1000 award will be presented at the 2017 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting in Denver, CO. 2017 Stanley Corrsin Award: Jens Eggers of the University of Bristol, UK, "For analysis of singularities as a unifying theme for physical and mathematical insights into a wide variety of two-phase fluid mechanics problems involving jets, coalescence, entrainment and wetting." Currently a professor of applied mathematics at the University of Bristol, Eggers has made many fundamental contributions to the mathematical understanding of free-surface flows, in particular breakup and coalescence of drops. Working with Marco Fontelos of the Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas (ICMAT), in 2015 Eggers published Singularities: Formation, Structure, and Propagation. In the book, they discuss a unifying view of singularities in physics, mathematics, and engineering subjects, aiming to make the subject accessible to a wider audience. The$5,000 award will also be presented at the 2017 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting.

2017 John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research: Marco Borghesi of the Queen’s University in Belfast, Andrew James MacKinnon of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Fredrick H. Séguin, Chikang Li and Richard D. Petrasso of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Oswald Willi of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, "For pioneering use of proton radiography to reveal new aspects of flows, instabilities, and fields in high-energy-density plasmas."

The 5 recipients were all instrumental in the development and early use of proton radiography, and both groups utilized a different method for generating the high intensity proton sources. In a series of papers beginning in the early 2000, Borghesi, Mackinnon, and Willi developed sources of thermally produced protons accelerated by the extreme electric field gradients generated when a target is illuminated by an intense laser. Similarly, in a series of papers beginning in the early 2000s and extending to the present, Li, Petrasso, and Séguin developed sources of mono-energetic, fusion-produced protons created by the implosion of capsules containing helium isotopes. The techniques they developed are used at laser facilities around the world, and have greatly advanced our understanding of fundamental electric- and magnetic-field processes in high energy density plasmas, found both in the lab and out in the cosmos. The $5,000 prize will be split equally among the winners at the 2017 APS Division of Plasma Physics meeting. 2017 Marshall N. Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award: Jonathan Squire of California Institute of Technology, "For fundamental contributions to dynamo theory, particularly the analytical and computational elucidation of the magnetic shear current effect." In 2010, Squire did graduate work at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory on a Fulbright science and technology fellowship, where he carried out both experimental and theoretical plasma physics research. He then began working at the Department of Astrophysical Sciences of Princeton University and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Amitava Bhattacharjee’s group for his dissertation, and completed his Ph.D. in approximately 2 years. This work led to 7 first-author journal papers published under his name. Now the Sherman Fairchild Postdoctoral Scholar in Theoretical Physics at Caltech, he pursues research on space and astrophysical plasmas. He will receive his award at the 2017 APS Division of Plasma Physics meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, including a$2000 stipend.

2017 Thomas H. Stix Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Plasma Physics Research: Ian Chapman of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, UK "For groundbreaking experimental and theoretical studies in tokamak stability."

As the CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and head of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy since 2016, Chapman has so far published over 110 journal papers, and has given 30 invited lead-author presentations at international conferences. His primary research interest is understanding and controlling macroscopic instabilities in fusion plasmas. Chapman will be presented his award, along with his $2000 stipend, at the 2017 APS Division of Plasma Physics meeting. 2017 Fluid Dynamics Prize: Detlef Lohse of the University of Twente, "For profound and wide-ranging contributions to our understanding of fluid turbulence, multiphase flow, and granular flows; for outstanding contributions to the teaching and training of future fluid dynamicists; and for long-standing service to the international fluid dynamics community." Following his postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago, Lohse became chair of the Physics of Fluids group at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. In 2017, he was named an honorary professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Currently, Lohse is the editor of the Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, among others journals. He serves on the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics executive board as member-at-large, and became a member of the National Academy of Engineering this year. His present research interests include turbulence and multiphase flow, micro- and nanofluidics (bubbles, drops, inkjet printing, wetting), and granular and biomedical flow. The$10,000 prize will be presented at the 2017 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting.

2017 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics: Dmitri Ryutov of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, "For many outstanding contributions to the theoretical plasma physics of low and high energy density plasmas, open and closed magnetic configurations, and laboratory and astrophysical systems."

Ryutov received his Ph.D. in plasma theory from the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy in 1966. Shortly thereafter, he worked at Russia’s Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, where from 1979 to 1988, he significantly strengthened the fusion program and initiated a gas dynamic trap experiment. Ryutov was first to chair the plasma physics department at Novosibirsk University, with many of his students now working in Russia, USA, and Europe. After the break-up of the Soviet Union, he moved to the U.S. and worked for 22 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where, since 2012 he has been a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff. He contributed to many areas of plasma physics, including mirrors, high-power particle beams, laboratory astrophysics, solar and space physics, and more. A recipient of a \$10,000 prize, Ryutov will receive his award at 2017 Division of Plasma Physics meeting.