Ronald C. Davidson

Biography

Abstract

Ronald C. Davidson is a Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University (1991-present). Other institutional affiliations include Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland. His research interests include pure and applied plasma physics.

Important Dates

July 3, 1941Birth, Norwich (Ont.).

1963Obtained BSc, McMaster University, Hamilton (Ont.).

1966Obtained PhD in Plasma Physics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1966 – 1968Assistant Research Physicist, University of California, Berkeley.

1968 – 1978Assistant Professor of Physics (1968-1971); Associate Professor of Physics (1971-1973); and Professor of Physics (1973-1978), University of Maryland, College Park (Md.).

1976 – 1978Assistant Director for Applied Plasma Physics, Office of Fusion Energy, Department of Energy.

1978 – 1991Professor of Physics (1978-1991) and Director, Plasma Fusion Center (1978-1988), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).

1982 – 1986Chair, Magnetic Fusion Advisory Committee, United States Department of Energy.

1991 – presentProfessor of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

2008Awarded James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics, American Physical Society.

Occupation

Plasma physicist.

Places

Birth

Norwich (Ont.)

Undergraduate Education

Hamilton (Ont.)

Graduate Education

Princeton (N.J.)

Employment

College Park (Md.)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Princeton (N.J.)

Subjects

Non-neutral plasma physics.

Plasma (Ionized gases).

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Bollinger, John J.

Co-wrote "Non-neutral plasma physics III."

Marion, Jerry B.,

Co-wrote "Mathematical preparation for general physics."

Spencer, Ross L.

Co-wrote "Non-neutral plasma physics III."

Colleagues

Al'tshuler, B. L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Appelbaum, J. A. (Joel A.)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Bardeen, James Maxwell, 1939-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Benedek, George Bernard, 1928-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Birge, Raymond T. (Raymond Thayer), 1887-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Callen, Herbert B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Chaikin, Paul M.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Chamberlain, O. (Owen)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Clarke, John, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Cohen, Marvin L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Commins, Eugene D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Coppi, B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Drake, James (James F.)

Both employed at University of Maryland.

Elsasser, Walter M., 1904-

Both employed at University of Maryland.

Enge, Harald A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Feshbach, Herman

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Fisch, N. J.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Furth, H. P.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Glaser, D. A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glashow, Sheldon L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldstone, Jeffrey

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Griem, Hans R.

Both employed at University of Maryland.

Guth, Alan H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jackiw, Roman W.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Javan, Ali, 1926-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jeffries, C. D., 1922-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Joannopoulos, J. D. (John D.), 1947-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kastner, Marc A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kendall, Henry W. (Henry Way), 1926-1999

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Ketterle, Wolfgang

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kittel, Charles

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kleppner, Daniel

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kulsrud, R. M.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Misner, Charles W.

Both employed at University of Maryland.

Moniz, E.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Moyer, Burton J., 1912-1973

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Paczyński, Bohdan

Both employed at Princeton University.

Porkolab, Miklos

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Reynolds, John Hamilton, 1923-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Segrè, Emilio

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shen, Y. R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Spitzer, Lyman, 1914-1997

Both employed at Princeton University.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Thomas, Gareth, 1932-2014

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Ting, S. C. C. (Samuel Chao-chung), 1936-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Townes, Charles H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Trilling, George H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Wald, Robert M.

Both employed at University of Maryland.

Watson, Kenneth M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weiss, Rainer

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Institutions

Major Positions

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Plasma Fusion Center

Director.

Princeton University. Department of Astrophysical Sciences

Professor of Astrophysical Sciences.

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory

Director.

United States. Department of Energy. Office of Fusion Energy

Assistant Director for Applied Plasma Physics and Chair, Magnetic Fusion Advisory Committee.

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Physics

Assistant Research Physicist.

University of Maryland at College Park. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; and Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Chair, Division of Plasma Physics and received James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics.

McMaster University. Department of Physics

Obtained BSc.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD.

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

Fusion: past, present, and future

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory records, 1958-2007.

Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

Princeton University

1 Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA

Tokamak fusion test reactor high-power deuterium-tritium experiments compendium of press clippings.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Mathematical preparation for general physics

Non-neutral plasma physics III

Subject

Ronald C. Davidson, Pioneer of Fusion Poer, Dies at 74 New York Times obituary.