Honors & awards Archive

2009

Porkolab Receives Maxwell Prize

Miklos Porkolab receives 2009 Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics.

On November 4, 2009, Plasma Science and Fusion Center Director Miklos Porkolab received the 2009 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics. The award was presented to him at a banquet during the American Physical Society - Division of Plasma Physics meeting in Atlanta, GA.

The annual prize, established in 1975 by the Maxwell Technologies, Inc. in honor of Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell, was established to recognize outstanding contributions to the field of plasma physics. It is currently sponsored by General Atomics.

Porkolab received a certificate inscribed with the words: "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."

Infinite Mile Awards 2009:

Four PSFC staff members were among the fifteen MIT employees honored with the Infinite Mile Award, 2009: Thomas Hrycaj, Richard Lations, Philip Michaels and Rui Viera. The Infinite Mile Awards Program for the Offices of the Provost and the Vice President for Research and Associate Provost is designed to recognize those individuals or teams who have made extraordinary contributions within their own organizations to help the Institute carry out its mission: to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. Selections from the nomination letters for these individuals appear below.

Tom Hrycaj

Thomas Hrycaj, Administrative Officer: A professional engineer with outstanding management capabilities, good interpersonal communication qualities and integrity, he operates the PSFC Headquarters and support personnel with great skills, fairness and minimum staffing. Under his service the morale and community spirit has been strengthened enormously. In addition to his PSFC commitments he has served on several prominent, and time consuming, Institute committees while continuing to serve the center in an exceptional manner. Tom chaired the Administrative Advisory Council II and represented it on two institute-wide committees. Tom always goes the extra mile to achieve the best one can possibly do.

Phil Michael's use of liquid Nigrogen entertains Middle School science students.

Richard Lations, Project Technician, and Philip Michael, Research Engineer, Plasma Science and Fusion Center: For the many and sustained contributions to the design, development, fabrication, installation, operation, and maintenance of the complex and highly integrated plasma physics experimental device, the Levitated Dipole Experiment. The great success with this experiment as well as the national and international recognition of the importance of this experiment is in large part due to their work. Their contributions have been extraordinary and deserve an Infinite Mile Award.

Rui Vieira, Head Mechanical Engineer, Plasma Science and Fusion Center: Rui has

Rui Vieira

done outstanding work in coordinating the effort to analyze and study the Alcator alternator rotor in order to return the unit to service. This is in addition to his already impressive effort in the recent inspection and in vessel modifications that have been done in Alcator C-Mod. He approaches his work with an attention to detail and a respect for safety that is unrivaled. Rui continued to work on many projects needed for physics research in addition to working on the alternator. He is willing to work long hours under difficult conditions, while tolerating enormous pressure with grace. We are extremely indebted to him for his efforts.