Thomas H. Stix *54 Plasma Physics Graduate Prize


This prize has been recently set up in memory of Prof. Thomas H. Stix, long time director of graduate studies for the Princeton Program in Plasma Physics whose "elegant mastery of the literally infinite complexities of waves in electrified gases helped create a new field of science" (NYT). This prize was established by many of his former students, colleagues, and friends.

The prize is intended to help graduate students in their early years, before they have other sources of funding, to provide them with the opportunities to attend international plasma physics conferences, to visit research institutes in other countries, and to learn about the variety of plasma physics research undertaken worldwide.

To give examples of how this prize can be utilized, it would be possible to use it to attend conferences such as those held in the recent years on stellarators in Australia, on spherical tori in Brazil, or on dynamos in astrophysical plasmas at the Abdus Salam Centre in Italy. Every two years is the major IAEA Fusion Energy Conference.  Alternatively, a student may propose to visit plasma physics research centers in such places as India or South Korea (both of which have built superconducting tokamaks and are carrying out a range of industrial plasma research activities), the Weizmann Institute in Israel (where Prof.  Stix spent several sabbaticals), Japan or Europe (where major laser and magnetic fusion experiments are), or in Russia (which has a long history of major contributions in plasma physics).

The Stix Prize will be awarded annually (for 10 years), on the basis of both the quality of the proposal and the academic standing of the student. The selection will be made by the Director of Graduate Studies for the Program in Plasma Physics. Successful candidates are expected to submit written reports summarizing their use of the award.

Prize amount: Up to  $2500, for travel and conference expenses for which other funding is not available.

Who can apply:   graduate students currently in their first or second year in the Program in Plasma Physics or in another department at Princeton studying a plasma-related topic.

Application deadline: Submit to Barbara Sarfaty (bsarfaty@pppl.gov) by Tuesday, April 19, 2011.

How to apply:  Write a 1-2 page proposal describing how you would use the fund, whom you would talk with, and what questions you wish to explore through the trip funded by this prize.  It should also include a brief itinerary and budget (the PPPL or Princeton travel policies and per diem rates can be used as guidelines).

Click Previous Winners for more info.