Division of Plasma Physics (APS)

Division of Plasma Physics (APS)
Name	Division of Plasma Physics (APS)
Formation	1959
Type	Professional society division
Headquarters	United States
Parent organization	American Physical Society

Contents

Division of Plasma Physics (APS) The Division of Plasma Physics (APS) is a specialized unit within the American Physical Society dedicated to advancing the science of plasma through research, education, and community building, engaging members from laboratories, universities, and national facilities. It connects practitioners working on laboratory plasmas, fusion energy, space plasmas, and industrial applications with leadership in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and international partners such as ITER and Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. The Division coordinates with agencies and institutions including the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, European Space Agency, and NASA to shape research priorities and workforce development.

History

The Division traces its roots to mid-20th century developments in plasma research that involved figures and centers such as Lyman Spitzer, Lev Landau, Enrico Fermi, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, reflecting the postwar expansion of plasma physics at institutions like Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Stanford University. Formally established within the American Physical Society in 1959, the Division grew alongside major projects and collaborations including the Magnetohydrodynamics programs, the advent of magnetic confinement efforts at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the development of inertial confinement experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and international experiments such as JET and TFTR. Throughout its history the Division engaged prominent scientists and leaders associated with awards and organizations like the Nobel Prize, the Buckingham Prize, and the National Academy of Sciences, while interacting with policy forums such as hearings of the United States Congress and advisory panels formed by the Department of Energy and National Academy of Engineering.

The Division operates under the bylaws and governance structure of the American Physical Society with elected officers, an executive committee, and panels that include representatives from universities, national laboratories, and international research centers like Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, ITER Organization, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, and Kurchatov Institute. Leadership roles rotate among members affiliated with institutions such as Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Texas at Austin, University of Chicago, and national laboratories including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Advisory committees liaise with funding bodies including the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, and agencies such as the European Research Council to align programmatic priorities and resource planning.

The Division sponsors topical groups and working groups that span experimental and theoretical domains linked to projects and institutions such as ITER, National Ignition Facility, JET, DIII-D, Alfvén, Solar Dynamics Observatory, and Voyager-era studies, facilitating collaborations among researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, and universities like University of California, San Diego and University of Oxford. Programs emphasize student and postdoctoral development with mentorship and travel grants associated with organizations such as the American Institute of Physics and American Association of Physicists in Medicine, while fostering interdisciplinary links to centers like Bell Labs, Sandia National Laboratories, and IBM Research. The Division runs outreach and diversity initiatives in partnership with entities such as Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Physicists, Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation, and international counterparts like CERN and the European Space Agency.

The Division organizes the annual Fall Meeting and topical meetings that attract participants from laboratories and universities including Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, DIII-D National Fusion Facility, and Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, and aligns program tracks with community events like the International Conference on Plasma Physics, the Fusion Energy Conference, and symposia associated with American Geophysical Union and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Meetings feature sessions on magnetic confinement, inertial fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas, and basic plasma processes, with invited lecturers historically drawn from institutions including University of California, Berkeley, Imperial College London, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, and prominent laboratories such as Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The Division administers named prizes and recognition programs that honor research excellence and service, complementing APS-wide awards including the APS Fellowship and prizes that parallel honors like the James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics, the Hannes Alfvén Prize, and national recognitions from bodies such as the National Academy of Sciences and Royal Society. Recipients have included scientists affiliated with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, MIT, Columbia University, and international institutions like Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics and Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, reflecting contributions to magnetic confinement, inertial confinement, plasma diagnostics, and space plasma research.

The Division contributes to the dissemination of research through proceedings and collaborations with journals and publishers associated with Physical Review Letters, Physical Review E, Physics of Plasmas, and proceedings from conferences linked to IEEE, American Geophysical Union, and Institute of Physics. Outreach efforts engage educators and students through partnerships with organizations such as American Association of Physics Teachers, Society of Physics Students, National Science Teachers Association, and public communication channels that connect to museums and centers like the Smithsonian Institution and science festivals at institutions including University of California, San Diego and MIT.

Category:American Physical Society divisions Category:Plasma physics