Six Laboratory researchers named APS Fellows

Contact: Todd Hanson, tahanson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-2085

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Jan. 10, 2001 -- Six researchers at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory have been named Fellows of the American Physical Society. The new Los Alamos APS Fellows are Lev Bulaevskii, Paul Ginsparg, Beverly Hartline, Michael J. Leitch, Ferenc Mezei and Darryl Smith.

Laboratory Director John Browne, an APS Fellow himself, in congratulating the group said, "The work and achievements of these researchers are indicative of the caliber of scientists we have at Los Alamos, and the APS fellowships provide independent recognition of that talent. It is an essential part of Los Alamos' heritage and future to attract top-notch scientists and engineers to help solve complex problems of national and global significance."

Bulaevskii, who works in the Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics group of the Theoretical Division, was elected a Fellow for his numerous and significant contributions to condensed matter theory, particularly in the area of layered superconductors. He received his doctoral degree in 1975 from the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow. Bulaevskii came to Los Alamos in 1992 after working as senior research scientist in Lebedev Physical Institute, a professorship at the Moscow Physical-Technical Institute and visiting the Max-Planck Institute in Grenoble, France, the Institute of Scientific Interchange in Torino, Italy and Iowa State University.

Paul Ginsparg was elected to APS fellowship for his work relating to chiral symmetry on the lattice, for fundamental contributions to string theory, and for establishment and development of the revolutionary Los Alamos E-Print Archive. Ginsparg received his doctorate in theoretical particle physics from Cornell University. Prior to becoming a staff member at Los Alamos in 1990, Ginsparg was a professor at Harvard University.

Beverly Hartline was elected an APS Fellow for her leadership and drive to advance physics and other science education at all education levels, including educator outreach and the general public, principally while working as associate director and project manager at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia. Hartline received her Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Washington in 1978. Prior to coming to Los Alamos, Hartline was assistant director for Physical Science and Engineering, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President in Washington, D.C. Hartline is currently the deputy associate Laboratory Director (acting), Strategic and Supporting Research Directorate.

Leitch, a member of the Laboratory's Subatomic Physics Group, was elected an APS Fellow through the Division of Nuclear Physics for his contributions to experimental medium-energy and high-energy nuclear physics, in particular for his lead role in measurements of pion double-charge exchange at low energies, and his leadership in the measurement of nuclear dependencies of J/psi production and of open charm production. Leitch received his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1979 before coming to Los Alamos as a postdoctoral employee. Leitch became a staff member in 1983 and currently serves as the High Energy Nuclear Physics Team Leader.

Mezei was elected to APS fellowship for his leadership in developing new techniques for neutron scattering studies of condensed matter, including the invention of the neutron spin echo method. He received his Doctor of Sciences from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest in 1982. Prior to coming to Los Alamos as the first John Wheatley Scholar in August 1997, Mezei was the director of the Berlin Neutron Scattering Centre at the Hahn-Meitner-Institute in Germany. Mezei currently works in the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Division Office.

Smith was made an APS Fellow through the Division of Material Physics for his contribution to materials physics including the understanding of the electronic and optical properties of semiconductor heterostructures and organic electronic materials and devices fabricated from these materials. Prior to coming to Los Alamos, Smith was a Senior Research Scientist at Honeywell Inc. Smith received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois in 1974. Smith is a technical team leader in the Electronic and Electrochemical Materials and Devices Group of the Materials Science and Technology Division.

The APS Fellowship Program was created to recognize APS members who have made advances in knowledge through original research and publication or made significant and innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology. APS Fellow recognition is a prestigious honor since each year no more than one-half of one percent of the total American Physical Society membership can be elected to the status of Fellow.

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