Laboratory scientists Jas Mercer-Smith, Roman Movshovich, Harvey Rose, and Richard Sheffield are the 2007 Laboratory Fellows, as selected by Director Michael Anastasio.
The Fellows designation is the Lab’s highest honor and is bestowed on selected technical staff members who have demonstrated excellence in programs important to the Laboratory’s mission, made significant scientific discoveries that lead to widespread use, or have been recognized as leaders in their fields both inside and outside the Laboratory.
A reception for the new Laboratory Fellows is scheduled for Tuesday.
Mercer-Smith of Navy-2 (X-2-N-2) is widely recognized for his scientific insight, deep technical understanding, and pivotal contributions to the field of nuclear weapons. His creativity and broad appreciation of the physics underlying this technology have enabled him to make several critical contributions to the program, for which he received the Department of Energy Nuclear Weapons Recognition of Excellence Award three times.
Rose of Complex Systems (T-13) has a sustained record of contributions in plasma physics, fluid dynamics, and statistical physics. His thesis work, known as the Martin-Stiggia-Rose formalism, pioneered the statistical field of fluid mechanics and initiated the field of non-equilibrium statistical physics. His work at the Laboratory has had seminal impact on the field of laser-plasma interactions and provides the theoretical framework for understanding the results from the National Ignition Facility.
Movshovich works in Condensed Matter and Thermal Physics (MPA-10) and is an internationally recognized leader in low temperature physics whose scientific acumen and innovative thinking have led to significant discoveries and critical insight in elucidating the properties of strongly correlated electron and heavy fermion systems.
Sheffield of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of ultra-high brightness beams and free electron lasers that have formed the basis for an entire generation of intense light sources with applications in fundamental research as well as national security programs. He invented the RF photo-injector and pioneered the concept of self-amplified spontaneous emission, two concepts that underpin modern free electron laser-performance.
For more information, see the week of December 3 Los Alamos NewsLetter.
