Miklos Porkolab
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Citation:
"For pioneering investigations of linear and nonlinear plasma waves and wave-particle interactions; fundamental contributions to the development of plasma heating, current drive and diagnostics; and leadership in promoting plasma science education and domestic and international collaborations."
Background:
Education: BASc, University of British Columbia,1963; PhD, Stanford University, 1967. Employment: Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory: Research Staff (1967-1977); Astrophysical Sciences, Lecturer with Rank of Professor, (1975-1977). MIT, Professor, Physics Department, 1977- present. Director, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT, 1995-present. At Princeton, Porkolab’s research concentrated on a quantitative understanding of the dispersive properties of plasma waves and instabilities in magnetized plasmas. This involved pioneering experimental measurements where the validity of the collisionless Boltzmann equation was verified, including nonlinear scattering of Bernstein waves with wavelengths comparable to the electron Larmor radius. This work included an experimental verification of nonlinear Landau damping, nonlinear resonant wave-wave scattering and of parametric instabilities, and a prediction of upper hybrid solitons. In 1977 Porkolab joined the MIT Physics Department and the newly established Plasma Fusion Center where he began pioneering experiments on lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas. Further work included clarifying the physics of ion cyclotron heating and mode conversion processes in multi-ion species fusion plasmas. Critical aspects of this work included measurements of mode converted ion Bernstein and ion cyclotron waves (ICW) using Phase Contrast Imaging (PCI). Recent work with PCI concentrated on measuring turbulence and Alfven wave phenomena in tokamak plasmas. Graduate students and collaborators played a critical role in all of this work. Honors: Fellow, APS (1976); Humboldt Prize (1976, Senior Scientist); APS Excellence in Plasma Research Award, (1984); US Delegate, IUPAP, Comission 16, (1991-1997); Editor, Physics Letters A, (1991-2001); Chair, Division of Plasma Physics, APS, (1999); Chairman of Board, Fusion Power Associates, (2001-2006); Fellow, AAAS (2005); Karoly Simony Memorial Plaque and Prize, Hungarian Nuclear Society, 2007
Selection Committee:
Robert Merlino, Jill P. Dahlburg, Ronald Davidson, Max Tabak, Richard Lovelace
