American Physical Society names three Princeton fellows

Two research physicists at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and a Princeton faculty member have been named fellows by the American Physical Society.

The new fellows are: Rajesh Maingi, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher on a long-term assignment at PPPL; Raffi Nazikian, a principal research physicist at PPPL; and Ali Yazdani, a professor of physics.

Maingi was honored for his work in plasma physics and fusion energy. He was cited for his demonstrations of plasma density control in fusion devices, such as tokamaks and spherical tori. He also was acknowledged for the discovery of a new class of instabilities in plasma.

Nazikian was recognized for his work in plasma physics and fusion energy, in particular for his contributions leading to the first observations of certain waves in the charged gases studied in fusion research. His work also has produced innovative diagnostics, according to the society.

Yazdani was cited for his expertise in condensed matter physics, specifically his electronic structure studies of high-temperature superconductors and magnetic superconductors through scanning-tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. 

The honor is a lifetime appointment. The fellowship program was created to recognize original research and publication and contributions to the teaching of physics, as well as service and participation in the society.

The society also named Nathan Seiberg, a visiting lecturer with the rank of professor in physics, as a fellow. Seiberg is a professor in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.