Citation

Dr. William Longley’s works represent perhaps the most novel and impactful developments in low- and middle-latitude aeronomy and space physics in many years. Since completing his Ph.D. less than 3 years ago, William has applied a combination of analytical theory and numerical simulations to solving problems in ionospheric and magnetospheric physics. Most notably he used sophisticated kinetic plasma theory to demonstrate that photoelectron-driven upper hybrid plasma waves in the ionosphere explain many features of heretofore poorly understood ionospheric measurements. Specifically, his model explained the predominant features of daily ionospheric measurements called 150-kilometer radar echoes, observed since 1963 but explained only recently. His research also gave ionospheric radar scientists an understanding of the origin of enigmatic striations seen in plasma lines by the Arecibo observatory. As one of his nominators commented, his quantification of collisional incoherent radar scattering (ISR) theory perpendicular to the geomagnetic field is one the most startling findings in ISR theory in a generation. That all these novel contributions can be attributed to a single, early-career scientist is remarkable and explains William’s nomination and success in winning the Basu U.S. Early Career Award. William has demonstrated that he possesses tremendously deep physical insight into space plasma physics and couples this with a high degree of proficiency with computational methods. Last, he is also an effective communicator and a generous and congenial colleague, and these contribute to his outsized impact. —Meers Oppenheim, Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, Mass.

Response

It is an honor to receive the Basu U.S. Early Career Award in recognition of my research in space physics. I am grateful to my nominators for this award, in particular Meers Oppenheim, who has supported my career and development as a scientist and has also been a wonderful friend. A common adage in physics is that quantum mechanics and particle physics took off when physicists stopped asking “how” and instead took the approach of “shut up and calculate.” This mentality permeates all branches of physics, including space and plasma physics, where we are interested in providing direct benefits to society. It is also an approach I have long been at odds with, as my research efforts have specifically focused on understanding the how. Understanding the how and providing detailed physical explanations is a hard task, and one full of uncertainty and self-doubt. That is what makes receiving the Basu Early Career Award so special to me—to be recognized for not only the research I have produced but also the method in which I have done so. I owe a large debt to the incoherent scatter radar community, who are primarily responsible for my nomination and career success. Phil Erickson, Koki Chau, Dave Hysell, Roger Varney, Marco Milla, Josh Semeter, Eliana Nossa, and many others have created a healthy, supportive, and friendly community for new researchers to join and thrive in. I am truly grateful to have found this field of study and the wonderful community around it. As a postdoc I have also entered the research area of radiation belt physics. My postdoc mentor, Anthony Chan, has been invaluable in teaching me this new area of physics and helping me grow into a better physicist with the tools to handle problems in all areas of space physics. Scot Elkington and Allison Jaynes have also provided a wealth of knowledge, experience, and guidance in this field. In physics and science, we are motivated every day to solve some problem or another that provides use to society. In the bigger picture, the biggest part of who we are, who any scientist is, is not the problems we work on, but the people we surround ourselves with. The friendships I’ve made throughout my career are the reason I enjoy doing physics, and I’m thankful to those I’ve named above, and to the many other friends I’ve made throughout my career. —William Longley, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas

Evan G. Thomas received the 2019 Basu U.S. Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun–Earth Systems Science at AGU’s Fall Meeting 2019, held 9–13 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is given annually to one early career scientist (no more than 3 years postdegree) from the United States in recognition of “significant work that shows promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun–Earth systems science and furthers the understanding of plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.”

Citation

Evan received his B.S. in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in 2010 and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech in 2012. He completed his Ph.D. in electrical engineering under the supervision of Joseph Baker and J. Michael Ruohoniemi at Virginia Tech in March 2016. His research interests include the Earth’s coupled magnetosphere–ionosphere response to geomagnetic storms.

Julia Stawarz will receive the 2018 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun–Earth Systems Science at AGU’s Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. This award is given annually to “one early career scientist (no more than 3 years post-degree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun–Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.”

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Julia received her B.S. in physics from the University of New Hampshire in 2011 and an M.S. in astrophysical and planetary sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2013. She completed her Ph.D. in astrophysical and planetary sciences under the supervision of Robert Ergun and Annick Pouquet at the University of Colorado Boulder in May 2016. Her research interests include collisionless plasma turbulence and kinetic-scale processes in the Earth’s magnetosphere and solar wind.

Lauren Blum will receive the 2017 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun–Earth Systems Science at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. This award is given annually to “one early career scientist (no more than 3 years post-degree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun–Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.”

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Lauren received her B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College in 2007 and an M.A. in astronomy from Boston University in 2010. She completed her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering sciences under the supervision of Xinlin Li at the University of Colorado Boulder in August 2014. Her research interests include wave–particle interactions and their influence on the evolution and dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts, as well as energetic particle detector and small satellite development.

Lauren received her B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College in 2007 and an M.A. in astronomy from Boston University in 2010. She completed her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering sciences under the supervision of Xinlin Li at the University of Colorado Boulder in August 2014. Her research interests include wave–particle interactions and their influence on the evolution and dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts, as well as energetic particle detector and small satellite development.

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Colin received his B.S. in physics from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2008 and an M.S. in physics from West Virginia University in 2010. He completed his Ph.D. in physics under the supervision of Paul Cassak at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. His research interests include magnetic reconnection at Earth’s dayside magnetopause, dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts, the ring current, ionospheric outflow, and the feedback mechanisms that exist among these magnetospheric systems.

Timothy Duly will receive the 2015 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun-Earth Systems Science at the 2015 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 14–18 December in San Francisco, Calif. This award is given annually to one early-career scientist (no more than 3 years postdegree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun-Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.

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Timothy received his B.S. in electrical engineering from the Ohio State University in 2009 and a M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011 and 2014, respectively, under the supervision of Jonathan Makela. He is currently a research engineer at Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA) in Boulder, Colo. His research interests include measuring and modeling traveling ionospheric disturbances and understanding their impact on radio frequency systems.

Rebekah Evans received the 2014 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun-Earth Systems Science at the 2014 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, held 15–19 December in San Francisco, Calif. This award is given annually to one early career scientist (no more than 3 years post-degree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun-Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.

Citation

Rebekah Evans received her B.S. in physics from the University of Delaware in 2006 and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in physics from George Mason University in 2011 under the supervision of Merav Opher. From 2011 to 2014 she participated in the NASA Postdoctoral Program in the Heliophysics Science Division of Goddard Space Flight Center. She is currently working as a physics teacher in Ft. Worth, Texas. Her research interests include the heating and acceleration of the solar wind and the evolution of solar eruptions.

Seth E. Dorfman was selected as the inaugural award recipient of the 2013 Basu United States Early Career Award, given annually to an early-career scientist from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun-Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.

In addition, Dorfman was awarded the 2013 Fred L. Scarf Award, given annually to a recent Ph.D. recipient for outstanding dissertation research that contributes directly to solar planetary sciences.

Dorfman’s thesis is entitled “Experimental study of 3-D, impulsive reconnection events in a laboratory plasma.” He presented an invited talk and was formally presented with the awards at the 2013 AGU Fall Meeting, held 9–13 December in San Francisco, Calif.

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Seth Dorfman received his B.S. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, in 2005. In 2012, he received his Ph.D. in astrophysical sciences under the supervision of Hantao Ji and Masaaki Yamada from Princeton University in New Jersey. Seth is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles, with Troy Carter. He maintains a broad interest in fundamental plasma physics, including the use of laboratory experiments to explore key physical processes in Sun-Earth systems science.