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

PPPL Chief Scientist Tang Honored by Chinese Institute of Engineers

Plainsboro, New Jersey — William (Bill) Tang, Chief Scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), has been selected to receive the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA (CIE-USA) Distinguished Achievement Award. The Institute is honoring Tang "for his outstanding leadership in fusion research and contribution to fundamentals of plasma science." He will receive the award at the 2005 CIE Convention on Saturday, October 15, in Newark. Tang is a Princeton Township resident. PPPL Director Rob Goldston said, "Bill has been a world leader in the development of the theory of microturbulence — the key means by which heat leaks out of the very hot gases used for fusion — and in the development of computational tools to simulate this turbulence. This award is richly deserved." In addition to serving as Chief Scientist at PPPL, Tang is the Associate Director for the Princeton Institute for Computational Science and Engineering. The Institute was recently established at Princeton University to stimulate progress in innovative computational science via interdisciplinary alliances involving computer science, applied mathematics, and prominent applications areas in the physical sciences and engineering disciplines. Tang received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Davis, in 1972 and carried out his dissertation research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. By 1979, he advanced to the Principal Research Physicist rank at PPPL and Lecturer with Rank of Professor in Princeton University's Department of Astrophysical Sciences, and also became a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Tang served as Head of the PPPL Theory Department from 1992 through 2004, leading the establishment of highly productive close working relationships not only between theory and experimental projects within PPPL, but also with international and national plasma physics institutions. Under his leadership, theoretical research at PPPL was diversified into non-fusion areas — especially high-performance computing activities. He also played a prominent leadership role for the Department of Energy's development of its multi-disciplinary program in advanced scientific computing applications, Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing, known as SciDAC. He is presently the Director of the Plasma Science Advanced Computing Institute for DOE's Fusion Energy Sciences Program. Tang has more than 200 publications, and has presented more than 40 invited talks at major conferences and prominent venues. He also has contributed strongly to teaching and research training in Princeton University's Department of Astrophysical Sciences for more than 20 years, and has supervised numerous successful Ph.D. students who have gone on to highly productive scientific careers. Examples include recipients of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in November 2000, and in June 2005. 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. The CIE-USA, founded in 1917, is the oldest and most widely recognized Chinese American Professional Society in North America. 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. William Tang Resolution is 300 dpi, print size is approximately 4 inches wide by 4.5 inches high, file type is jpeg, and file size is 4.6 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: 11 October 2005 Send questions or comments to: Anthony R. DeMeo at ademeo@pppl.gov