Dr. Stephen F. Knowlton
Contact
Address
VASE Board Member
Inducted 2014
160 White Rock Drive #2
Montpelier, VT 05602
Research Interests
My research interests are grounded in experimental plasma physics, mainly for exploring the scientific potential to generate electricity from fusion. A plasma is an ionized gas, and represents the dominant state of matter within stars. My work mostly involves terrestrial plasmas confined in chambers with applied and self-generated magnetic fields. My research has used radio-frequency sources to heat, maintain, and diagnose the properties of plasmas. Until recently, I led a university-based laboratory group to study innovative techniques of confining hot plasmas.
Professional Activities & Service
American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Executive Committee 2011-2014
University Fusion Association President 2007-2009
US Department of Energy Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee 2015-2018
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D., 1984
Middlebury College, A.B., 1975, Phi Beta Kappa
Dept. of Physics, Auburn University
Professor Emeritus, June 2012
Professor, 2002- 2012
Assoc. Professor, 1994 –2002
Asst. Professor, 1988 - 1994
Principal investigator of plasma physics experimental research for fusion energy research until 2012
JET Joint Undertaking, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K
Physics and technical design of large scale radio-frequency current-drive experiment at major international fusion research facility.
1986- 1988
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Research Staff Scientist, Plasma Fusion Center 1983-1986
Performed high power radio-frequency heating and current-drive experiments on the Alcator C tokamak.