Three emerging voices recognized by the Physics of Plasmas journal
from left to right, Pedro Molina Cabrera, Kyungtak Lim and Haomin Sun © SPC / EPFL
Kyungtak Lim, Pedro Molina Cabrera and Haomin Sun, two postdoctoral researchers and a PhD student at EPFL's Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), have been selected for the Physics of Plasmas Journal's 2023 Early Career collection. This prestigious recognition, which highlights emerging voices in plasma physics, also gives them the opportunity to showcase the collaborative environment at the SPC that fosters high-level research in their field.
"It's rare to receive awards in science that are not driven by your group or laboratory, but instead come from the external science community," observed Pedro Molina Cabrera, postdoctoral researcher at the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) at EPFL, reflecting on his selection in the prestigious Early Career Collection of the Physics of Plasmas Journal. Alongside two SPC colleagues – Kyungtak Lim, postdoctoral researcher, and Haomin Sun, PhD student – Pedro Molina Cabrera joins the ranks of 30 authors chosen for this 2023 collection. This recognition not only underscores the exceptional contributions of this trio but also shines a spotlight on the SPC, marking it as one of the European institution with the highest number of authors featured in this edition.
I was quite surprised by this selection because it is my first paper in the field of low-temperature plasma physics
To be selected by the Physics of Plasmas editorial board as one of the best papers, the first author must have defended his or her doctoral thesis less than five years prior to submission of the manuscript, or be a student, ensuring a focus on the new generation of researchers.
"I was quite surprised by this selection because it is my first paper in the field of low-temperature plasma physics. With the new code simulating the behavior of plasma, we achieved a much faster simulation with a small drawback in accuracy,” noted Haomin Sun.
Pedro Molina Cabrera shared a similar feeling, adding, "It was very rewarding because a lot of work went into this paper. It's also very special because it’s the first large and complete physics study I have done. We studied turbulence in core plasmas with different masses using both diagnostics and simulations, and compared them quantitatively. It took at least two years from conception to publication."
Kyungtak Lim also didn’t mask his surprise, acknowledging the importance of the paper for his ongoing research: "This publication addresses one of the topics I focused on during my PhD, and it will help my research here at SPC in describing impurity dynamics within the boundary region."
I am very happy to be part of SPC and to see my colleagues getting recognized for their good work
These recognitions not only highlight the excellence of the work carried out by each individual but also the dynamic environment at SPC. As Kyungtak Lim pointed out, SPC offers an ideal work environment for exchanging ideas across various fields, facilitating innovative research efforts. This sentiment is echoed by Haomin Sun and Pedro Molina Cabrera.
The former noted, "the exceptional research facilities at the Swiss Plasma Center broadened my perspective and helped me realize the wider potential use of our new code." Meanwhile, Pedro Molina Cabrera remarked how impressive it is "to see many young scientists at SPC-EPFL being included in this recognition. It demonstrates that the lab can attract a young generation committed to excellence in their work. I am very happy to be part of SPC and to see my colleagues getting recognized for their good work."
P. A. Molina Cabrera, P. Rodriguez-Fernandez, T. Görler, M. Bergmann, K. Höfler, S. S. Denk, R. Bielajew, G. D. Conway, C. Yoo, A. E. White, and ASDEX Upgrade team, “Isotope effects on energy transport in the core of ASDEX-Upgrade tokamak plasmas: Turbulence measurements and model validation,” Phys. Plasmas 30 (8), 082304 (2023).
K. Lim, X. Garbet, Y. Sarazin, E. Gravier, M. Lesur, G. Lo-Cascio, and T. Rouyer, “Self-consistent gyrokinetic modeling of turbulent and neoclassical tungsten transport in toroidally rotating plasmas,” Phys. Plasmas 30(8), 082501 (2023).
H. Sun, S. Banerjee, S. Sharma, A. T. Powis, A. V. Khrabrov, D. Sydorenko, J. Chen, and I. D. Kaganovich, “Direct implicit and explicit energy-conserving particle-in-cell methods for modeling of capacitively coupled plasma devices,” Phys. Plasmas 30(10), 103509 (2023).