Dr Plamen Ivanov

EPS recognition for Dr Plamen Ivanov

Plasma physics
Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics

Dr Plamen Ivanov has been awarded the European Physical Society Plasma Physics Division’s PhD Research Award. The Plasma Physics Division of the EPS recognises up to four scientists for truly outstanding research achievements associated with their DPhil study in the field of plasma physics.

Dr Ivanov’s thesis, ‘Zonally dominated dynamics and the transition to strong turbulence in ion-scale plasma turbulence’, is a novel take on the elusive Dimits regime of magnetised plasmas. He looked at how long-lived nonlinearly generated plasma flows called ‘zonal flows’ suppress the development of turbulence, and thus limit the turbulent heat transport in the plasma. Understanding the transport properties of magnetised plasmas is crucial for the design of successful magnetic-confinement fusion devices like the tokamak. Such devices are one of our best hopes for sustainable long-term energy production.

‘I am honoured to receive the EPS-PPD PhD Research Award,’ he comments. ‘I see this both as recognition of my work so far and as encouragement for the future.’

Dr Ivanov studied for his DPhil at the Department of Physics at Oxford under the supervision of Professor Alexander Schekochihin.