Honors & Awards Archives

2004

Hubbard and Petrasso Elected to APS Fellowship

Reserch Scientist Amanda Hubbard

In September, Research Scientist Amanda Hubbard and Senior Research Scientist Richard Petrasso

were informed that they had been elected Fellows in the American Physical Society (APS).This honor is limited to one half of one percent of the membership, and represents a recognition by their peers of their outstanding contributions to physics.

Albuquerque, NM.

Amanda Hubbard's certificate stated: "For significant contributions to the understanding of plasma edge pedestal formation and of the transition to an improved confinement regime in magnetic fusion confinement devices."

Richard Petrasso Senior Research Scientist.

Richard Petrasso was praised "for the comprehensive use of quantitative charged particle spectroscopy allowing significant advances in understanding of laser driven implosions, and for leadership in the national ICF program."

PSFC Members Honored

On June 11, 2004, three members of the PSFC community were honored with Infinite Mile Awards.They received their

Alex Zhurkovsky (left), Sam Pierson and Bill Beck were celebrated at the PSFC with a Toscanini's Ice Cream Sundae Party, August 5, 2004. Director, Miklos Porkolab (right) was on hand to speak about their accomplishments and congratulate them.

awards at a Faculty Club luncheon hosted by Provost Robert Brown and President for Research & Associate Provost Alice Gast.  Program notes provided brief excerpts from their nomination letters, indicating why they had been elected for this

William Beck, Research Engineer, PSFC:  “Bill Beck has dedicated his entire 25-year career at MIT to developing the complex systems needed to do research in plasma physics.  Bill has worked tirelessly without concern for the day of the week or the number of hours spent at work.   He has spent many weeks away from home in foreign countries working with vendors to produce the components needed for the latest magnet design.  His presence at MIT has greatly benefited both the projects he has worked on, and the people he has worked with.”

Sam Pierson, Project Technician Electronic: “Sam combines an attention to detain with exceptional creativity.  Much of the work around Alcator is ‘one of a kind’.  Sam constantly amazes us with his solutions to problems that take into account the goal of the work while at the same time minimizing the time spent and amount of disruptions to surrounding components.  He has worked on RF systems, in-vessel components, and general maintenance and upgrades to the machine, while still contributing greatly to machine operations.  We can trust Sam to get virtually any task done in a short time and to high standards.”

Alex Zhurkovsky, Research Engineer: “When others would have given up and tried some less elegant or highly compromised solution to a problem, Alex pushed on, making progress, sometimes in small steps and sometimes in breakthrough leaps. His colleagues are amazed and inspired by his focus and achievements.” “Alex brought to the project an ability to both produce creative solution to very difficult problems and an unusual ability to focus on the details of the design.  As a result of his dedication to this task the floating coli design represents an important advance in engineering.”  “More than anyone else in our group, Alex has defined the standard of technical excellence that is both admired and emulated.”

Bill, Sam and Alex were celebrated at the PSFC with a Toscanini’s Ice Cream Sundae Party, August 5, 2004, at which time Director, Miklos Porkolab spoke about their accomplishments and congratulated them.

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