Plasmadynamics & Lasers Award Open for Nominations 10 November 2024 – 15 January 2026
Established as a separate award in 1991, the Plasmadynamics & Lasers Award is presented for outstanding contributions to the understanding of the physical properties and dynamical behavior of matter in the plasma state and lasers as related to need in aeronautics and astronautics.
This annual award is generally presented at the AIAA AVIATION Forum/ASCEND.
Deadlines:
Accepting Online Nominations: 10 November
Nomination Deadline: 15 January
Endorsement Letters Deadline: 1 February
Award Recipients
2024
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Dr Kurt A PolzinNASA Marshall Space Flight CenterAwardedAward: 2024 AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: For seminal modeling of pulsed inductive plasma accelerators providing both a fundamental understanding of underlying physics and practical approaches to optimization of energy deposition.
2022
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Prof Sergey O MacheretPurdue UniversityAwardedAward: 2022 AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: “For pioneering work on novel plasma generation and control methods and on aerospace applications of plasmas.”
2021
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Dr David L CarrollCU Aerospace LLCAwardedAward: 2021 AIAA Plasmadynamics & Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: For scientific enhancement and innovation of high energy lasers and plasma-driven devices, entrepreneurial aerospace leadership, and education of scientist engineers.
2020
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Dr Mikhail N ShneiderPrinceton UniversityAwardedAward: 2020 Plasmadynamics and Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: For seminal contributions to the theory and modeling of electric discharges and theoretical foundations of diagnostics based on coherent microwave and laser scattering
2019
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Dr James A HorkovichAEgis TechnologiesAwardedAward: 2019 Plasmadynamics and Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: For professional commitment and leadership, education and mentoring of scientist engineers, and distinguished contributions to science and innovation of directed energy systems.”
2018
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Prof Martin A GundersenUniversity of Southern CaliforniaAwardedAward: 2018 Plasmadynamics and Lasers AwardAIAA Citation: For development of high-voltage pulse power technology, studies of non-equilibrium nanosecond pulse plasmas, and their applications for plasma assisted combustion, pollution control, quantum electronics, and biology.
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Mr Akshay S DeshpandeAwarded-CoRecipientsAward: 2018 Plasmadynamics and Lasers Best Student PaperAIAA Citation: "Supersonic Flow Control of Swept Shock Wave / Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions using Plasma Actuators" (AIAA 2017-3479)
2017
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Prof Valentin A BityurinJoint Institute for High Temperatures RASAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished professional career with seminal scientific contributions to the theoretical and experimental understanding of plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamic energy conversion, and plasma-magneto-aerodynamics
2016
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Dr Eric J JumperUniversity of Notre DameAwardedAIAA Citation: For major contributions in the fields of aero-optics, chemical lasers, and laser supported detonation, and for the mentoring of young engineers and scientists.
2015
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Dr Philip E CassadyAwardedAward: -AIAA Citation: For distinguished contributions to the development of aero-optics and high power laser fluid dynamics.
2014
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Dr John T Lineberrylytec llcAwardedAIAA Citation: In Recognition of a Distinguished Career in Plasmadynamics and Magnetohydrodynamics, for Major Contributions to Terrestrial and Aerospace Applications, and Fostering of Scientific and Technological Advancements through International Collaborations and AIAA.
2013
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Joseph VerdeyenUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAwardedAIAA Citation: For major contributions in the fields of gas and semiconductor lasers, plasma discharge technologies, and the mentoring of young engineers and scientists.
2012
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Prof Richard B MilesTexas A&M UniversityAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering work in plasma diagnostics, understanding of nonequilibrium plasma behavior, and use of plasmadynamics and magnetohydrodynamics for flow control.
2011
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Prof Chul ParkKorea Advanced Institute of Science & TechnologyAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career in the science of plasmadynamics to enhance understanding of plasma around atmospheric entry vehicles through development of novel experiments and of fundamental theoretical models.
2010
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Mr. Sterge T DemetriadesAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career in plasma physics, plasmadynamics, and magnetohydrodynamic technology providing major contributions to enhance the understanding of plasma processes and MHD systems for terrestrial and aerospace applications.
2009
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Dr Charles W ClendeningAwardedAIAA Citation: For distinguished contributions to the development of scalable high energy chemical oxygen-iodine lasers and the application of high power laser technology.
2008
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Dr J William RichAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding achievements in development of molecular gas lasers, studies of low temperature plasmas, nonequilibrium reactng flows, molecular energy transfer and nonequilibrium chemical reactions.
2007
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Dr George W SuttonSPARTA, Inc.AwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering work in laser aero-optics in the development of high power gas lasers, both pulsed and continuous wave, and in laser effects.
2006
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Mr. Hiroyuki YamasakiTokyo Institute of TechnologyAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career in the advancement of closed cycle, non-equilibrium MHD power technology with pioneering accomplishments in defining plasma discharge structure, ionization stability, and MHD disk generator optimization.
2005
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Dr Wayne C SolomonAwardedAIAA Citation: For significant contributions to the technology of HF, DF, and COIL lasers and the mentoring of young engineers and scientists who have become leaders in the laser technology.
2004
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Dr Joseph J ShangWright State UniversityAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career with pioneering contributions in the development of advanced computing procedures for simulation of Aerodynamics, Electromagnetics, Non-Equilibrium Reacting Flows, and Plasma-Magneto-Aerodynamics Interaction.
2003
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Tom R BroganAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career in the science of magnetohydrodynamics providing major contributions to the enhanced understanding of MHD processes and the design of MHD power systems for terrestrial and aerospace platforms.
2002
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Dr Yuri P RaizerRussian Academy of Sciences-Institute for Problems in MechanicsAwardedAIAA Citation: For lifelong original contributions to shock wave physics, gasdynamics, explosion physics, gas discharge physics, and interaction of laser radiation with plasmas.
2001
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Dr George EmanuelAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering analysis work on Chemical Lasers and Invention of a CW chemically pumped visible ultraviolet laser based controlled condensation.
2000
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Dr Wheeler K McGregorAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of a distinguished career in the fields of plasmadynamics and lasers with special recognition of pioneering contributions in development of spectroscopy rocket plume diagnostics.
1999
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Dr Lee H SentmanAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering work on elucidating the physical-chemical processes responsible for the fundamental and overtone power spectral performance of HF/DF chemical lasers.
1998
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Prof Richard J RosaAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding personal achievement in the fields of plasma, plasmadynamics and magnetohydrodynamics and in fostering these sciences as both a researcher and educator.
1997
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Theodore A JacobsAwardedAIAA Citation: For the invention and development of the megawatt continuous HF/DF chemical laser, which laid the foundations for the shipboard and space based laser defense systems.
1996
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Dr Shi Tsan WuThe University of Alabama in HuntsvilleAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding technical achievement as a scientist and educator in pioneering MHD theory on the dynamic processes in the solar plasmas and solar-terrestrial relations that laid the foundations for space weather prediction.
1994
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Dr Susan L WuAwardedAIAA Citation: For technical achievement and leadership as a scientist, researcher and educator in the fields of plasmadynamics and magnetohydrodynamics and for untiring efforts in fostering these sciences through AIAA.
1992
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Prof Abraham HertzbergUniversity Of WashingtonAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to gas dynamics and gas physics, including gas lasers and laser applications; and to the prepartion of young engineers for careers in the field.