Professor Mike Mauel Is New Editor-in-Chief of Physics of Plasmas

Mauel has published more than 150 refereed journal articles and, since 2003, has served on the editorial boards of several journals.

Jan 13 2016 | By Holly Evarts


—Photo by Eileen Barroso

Applied Physics Professor Michael E. Mauel has been appointed the new editor-in-chief of Physics of Plasmas, the foremost scientific journal on plasma physics published monthly by the American Institute of Physics.

“This is a great honor for me,” Mauel says. “Physics of Plasmas is dedicated to the publication of original experimental and theoretical contributions in plasma physics and I am excited to be leading the next chapter of this journal as our field evolves and grows. We are looking forward to continuing to feature the highest quality research in plasma physics from around the world and to expand our coverage of space & astrophysical plasmas and the interactions between ionized and non-ionized matter.”

Mauel joined the School’s Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics (APAM) in 1985, after earning his ScD. from MIT. He served as APAM’s chair from 2000 to 2006. Focusing on high-beta tokamak research, he collaborated with the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) research team at Princeton University to explore the influence of plasma current profile on fusion transport and stability, and he was a visiting scientist at DIII-D National Fusion Facility in 1994 where he developed techniques to create internal transport barriers. At Columbia, he built experimental research programs in microwave plasma processing in collaboration with IBM and in laboratory space physics with the support of NSF, NASA, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Affiliated with many professional organizations, Mauel is a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and served as the chair of the APS Division of Plasma Physics. He has been an active member of the Plasma Science Committee, National Research Council, most recently serving as its chair from 2012 to 2014. In 2000, he received the Rose Prize for Excellence in Fusion Engineering from the Fusion Power Association and was recipient of the Jefferson Science Fellowship for the 2006-07 academic year. In 1989, Mauel received a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Department of Energy for high-beta tokamak research, and, in 2007, he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Department of State for his work supporting the Office of International Energy Policy.

Mauel has published more than 150 refereed journal articles and, since 2003, has served on the editorial boards of several journals, including associate editor of Physics of Plasmas.

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