معرفی
Cary Forest is the Prager Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, leading the Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (WiPPL) as its Director. His research focuses on experimental plasma physics, bridging nuclear fusion and plasma astrophysics. He holds a B.S. in Applied Math, Engineering, and Physics from the University of Wisconsin (1986) and a Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University (1992), where his thesis won the Simon Ramo Award. Prof. Forest’s work includes pioneering studies on bootstrap current-driven tokamak formation, advanced tokamak operation, and liquid metal dynamo experiments. He has developed influential diagnostic methods for measuring non-inductive currents in tokamaks, widely adopted in global experiments like ITER.
Prof. Forest’s current projects include the Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM), a high-temperature superconductor-based fusion neutron source, and the Break-Even Axisymmetric Mirror (BEAM) concept. His lab operates multiple experimental platforms, including the Madison Dynamo Experiment (MAD) and the Rotating Wall Machine (RWM). He has secured major awards such as the Packard Fellowship, Sloan Fellowship, and WARF Professorship. His research spans magnetic confinement fusion, plasma astrophysics, and MHD turbulence, with recent focus on mirror fusion, first-wall materials, and plasma-wall interactions. He actively contributes to national fusion initiatives and serves on advisory committees for major institutions like MIT and Princeton.
- Education:
- Ph.D., Astrophysical Sciences (Plasma Physics Program), Princeton University, 1992
- B.S., Applied Math, Engineering, and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1986
- Key Roles:
- Director, Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory
- PI, WHAM Experiment
- Former Director, NSF Physics Frontier Center for Magnetic Self-Organization
- Awards:
- Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowship
- Vilas Associate Award
- APS Fellow
His experimental work emphasizes novel plasma configurations like flow-dominated plasmas and MHD-stabilized mirrors, addressing challenges in fusion energy and astrophysical plasma dynamics. Recent achievements include first physics results from WHAM, advancements in cold-spray first-wall materials, and kinetic simulations of drift-cyclotron instabilities.
