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| Prof. Hirose |
U of S physicist Akira Hirose has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the country’s senior academic accolade to which scholars and scientists aspire.
Hirose, head of the Dept. of Physics and Engineering Physics, was recently elected to the Academy of Science (Mathematical and Physical Sciences) Fellowship. He is the 16th U of S professor to be honored in this way and one of 61 new Fellows elected this year across Canada.
"Prof. Hirose has gained international recognition for his prolific contributions to achieving controlled thermonuclear fusion," said Vice-President Research Michael Corcoran.
Controlled thermonuclear fusion research aims to fulfil the dream of harnessing fusion energy to provide a new source of electricity, one that would not produce nuclear waste or radiation hazards and would be a practically unlimited fuel supply.
The sun’s tremendous energy is produced through nuclear fusion, the joining of hydrogen atoms. Scientists such as Prof. Hirose are studying how to harness fusion as an energy source.
To do this, Prof. Hirose uses a tokamak, a research machine in which a magnetic field is used to confine plasma, an extremely hot gas that has all its electrons stripped off its atoms. Hirose is one of Canada’s leading researchers in plasma physics. His theoretical and experimental work with plasma stability, heating and confinement has led to breakthroughs in international plasma research.
Hirose designed and built the STOR-M (Saskatchewan Torus-Modified) tokamak, a large plasma confinement system, on the U of S grounds. In 1987, this was the site of the world’s first demonstration of alternating current in a tokomak.
Hirose’s work could mean controlled fusion energy could one day replace existing power plants and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Hirose, who received a U of S Distinguished Researcher Award in 1995, has published two books and more than 120 papers in refereed physics journals.
Other awards include Fellow of the American Physical Society (1981), Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (1986), Merit Award from the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (IEEE-NPSS) (1993), U of S Doctor of Science Degree in 1994, and the IEEE-NPSS Plasma Science and Applications Award in 1998.
He holds a B.Sc. (1965) and M.Sc. (1967) from Yokohama National University, Japan, a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee (1969) and a Doctor of Science from the U of S (1994).
He will be inducted to the Society at a ceremony in Ottawa on Nov. 17.
Formed 118 years ago, the Royal Society is a force for the enrichment, interpretation and strengthening of Canada’s intellectual heritage.
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