19 October 2005 (To download a print-quality photo file of Dr. Belova, go to the end of this article.)

PPPL's Belova Named Weimer Prize Recipient

Plainsboro, New Jersey — In recognition of her outstanding achievement in plasma science research, Elena Belova, a scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), is receiving the Katherine E. Weimer Award. It will be given at the American Physical Society-Division of Plasma Physics (APS-DPP) annual meeting in Denver this month. Belova is being cited for pioneering analytical and numerical contributions to the fundamental physics of magnetically confined plasmas. Plasma is a hot, ionized gas that serves as the fuel for nuclear fusion. She is a Plainsboro resident. Ronald C. Davidson, Princeton University Professor of Astrophysical Sciences and PPPL Theory Department Deputy Head, said, "I have followed closely Dr. Belova's fundamental research contributions to the theory and simulation of magnetically confined plasmas since 1997 when she joined the research staff at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. I have only the highest opinion of her research accomplishments, her intellectual ability, and the prospects for her continued growth as a world-class plasma theorist." Belova received an M.S. degree in space plasma physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1987, having majored as an undergraduate in numerical methods and applied mathematics. She worked for several years as a staff member in the Russian Academy of Science's Space Research Institute in Moscow. She moved to the U.S. in 1992 and received a Ph.D. in plasma physics from Dartmouth College in 1997, joining PPPL as a post doctoral research fellow the same year. She presently is a research physicist in PPPL's Theory Department. Belova has made many pioneering contributions to both analytical and computational plasma physics. Her major research interest is the interaction of energetic particles with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and the influence of kinetic effects on MHD modes in space and laboratory plasmas. MHD is the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids. Belova is the first author of 21 scholarly publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings. The Katherine E. Weimer Award for Women in Plasma Physics is given to recognize and encourage outstanding achievement in plasma science research by a woman physicist in the early years of her career. Weimer (1919–2000), was a pioneering woman physicist at PPPL. The award, established in 2001, is presented every three years. It consists of $2,000 and funds for travel to the meeting where the award is to be made, as well as a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. PPPL, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars. In the interior of stars, matter is converted into energy by the fusion, or joining, of the nuclei of light atoms to form heavier elements. End For further information, please contact: Anthony R. DeMeo Head, Information Services Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (609) 243-2755 ademeo@pppl.gov Patricia Wieser Information Services Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (609) 243-2757 pwieser@pppl.gov Downloadable print-quality photo of: Dr. Elena Belova Resolution is 300 dpi, print size is approximately 4 inches wide by 4 inches high, file type is jpeg, and file size is 1 MB. Photo by Elle Starkman.

PPPL is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University.

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Created: 19 October 2005 Send questions or comments to: Anthony R. DeMeo at ademeo@pppl.gov