image: The PPPL 2024 Distinguished Research Fellows Elena Belova and Yevgeny Raitses.
Credit: Michael Livingston (left) and Elle Starkman (right) / PPPL Communications Department)
The diversity of plasma research at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) was readily apparent when the PPPL 2024 Distinguished Research Fellows were recently announced. Elena Belova and Yevgeny Raitses were awarded the honor at the Lab’s annual State of the Laboratory event. Belova, a theoretical physicist, won for her work developing highly complex simulations of plasmas in different fusion experiments. Raitses, a managing principal research physicist, was honored for his experimental work on low-temperature plasma (LTP) and diagnostics.
“Elena and Yevgeny exemplify the spirit of innovation and dedication that drives PPPL’s mission,” said Lab Director Steve Cowley. “This recognition is well deserved, and their contributions will undoubtedly shape the future of plasma physics.”
Elena Belova
For novel non-linear kinetic simulations of the magnetohydrodynamic stability of magnetized toroidal plasmas
Elena Belova’s career originated from a keen interest in space. Before immigrating from Russia in 1992, she worked at the Space Research Institute in Moscow. She earned her doctoral degree in plasma physics from Dartmouth College, specializing in the kinds of plasma found in space. She then came to PPPL as a postdoctoral student before taking a staff position in 2000.
“When I came here, I didn’t know that much about fusion. It was quite a steep learning experience,” she said.
Today, as a principal research physicist and leader of the Theory Department’s Burning Plasma Group, Belova creates world-class simulations depicting how plasma behaves in fusion experiments. Such numerical simulations are essential to developing experimental devices that will eventually lead to a reliable generation of electricity from fusion. They are also incredibly complicated.
“I always find it fascinating when I do simulations, and they actually agree with the experiment,” Belova said. “Every time, I’m amazed. It’s a pleasant surprise.”
Belova was one of the few women in plasma physics when she first joined PPPL in 1997. She was, in fact, only the second female physicist in PPPL’s Theory Department.
She initially focused on field-reversed configuration research but soon decided existing codes weren’t quite suitable. “I wound up writing my own code,” said Belova.
Over time, she adapted her code to model the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) and NSTX-Upgrade (NSTX-U). “I hope NSTX-U will yield exciting new results, and I look forward to contributing,” she said. “I also hope private fusion companies achieve great success, and hopefully, I can contribute to that, too.”
Belova has collaborated with major facilities like the DIII-D National Fusion Facility at General Atomics — where PPPL also has a team — and partnerships with private fusion companies through the DOE’s Innovation Network for Fusion Energy program, including Helion Energy and TAE Technologies. In 2005, Belova received the Katherine E. Weimer Award from the American Physical Society (APS), which recognizes outstanding women in plasma physics. In 2020, she became a fellow of APS.
Initially discouraged from pursuing physics, Belova advises young people to pursue their dreams from the start. “No one can decide for you what to do. I switched from applied math to physics, and I’m glad I did,” she said. “I’m grateful that I can do what I love and get paid for it. It’s a win-win.”
Outside of physics, Belova enjoys gardening and online chess. “I like to sit with tea and look at my flowers — gardening is very good for both the mind and body,” she said. She grows vegetables as well, joking that “if you grow something like zucchinis, you have to eat them.”
Belova would like to thank her friends and collaborators from both the mainstream fusion and the innovative confinement crowd for their support over the years. She would also like to thank her husband, Alex Khrabrov, who also works as a physicist at PPPL.
Yevgeny Raitses
For exceptional experimental contributions to the science and applications of LTP and diagnostics
Raitses’ work at PPPL has focused on LTP science and spanned a range of LTP applications, including space propulsion systems, nanomaterial synthesis and semiconductor manufacturing processes. LTP is a particularly interesting form of matter because the negatively charged particles, known as electrons, can be quite hot while the average temperature of the plasma is much lower. So, the electrons can have enough energy to modify the surface of other materials with atomic precision and without damaging temperature-sensitive materials, such as the silicon used to make computer chips.
Raitses has overseen significant growth in LTP research at PPPL. “In 2000, there was one project and a couple of people working on it. Now, in 2025, we have a whole department with dozens of people and projects,” he said.
His passion for the field began with his interest in space travel. “What inspired me is plasma propulsion, which happened to use low-temperature plasma,” Raitses said.
Together with PPPL’s Nathaniel Fisch, Raitses launched PPPL’s Hall Thruster Experiment in 1999, turning it into a world-class exploration of plasma propulsion physics. Raitses holds several patents related to propulsion systems for novel plasma thrusters developed with Fisch and his former student Jacob Simmonds. “Many of these technologies are used in the U.S. and abroad. Some are flying in space,” Raitses said.
He also heads the Laboratory for Plasma Nanosynthesis & Nanofabrication, a leading center for optimizing plasma to synthesize nanoparticles used in microelectronics, pharmaceuticals and other industries. Additionally, Raitses spearheaded the launch of the Princeton Collaborative Research Facility on Low Temperature Plasma with Princeton University. Raitses also leads a major project exploring innovative plasma sources for microelectronics and will lead a highly competitive Microelectronics Science Research Center project.
“Discovering and understanding new things in experimental science is the beauty of this field. It’s in our hands and minds to explore what we’ve uncovered. If some of these discoveries are useful, even better,” Raitses said.
Raitses earned his doctoral degree in aerospace at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in 1997. He joined PPPL as a postdoctoral researcher in 1998 and has advised or co-advised more than 50 graduate and undergraduate students, visiting scientists and postdoctoral fellows. Raitses is a fellow of the APS and an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Reflecting on his career, Raitses credited those who helped him along the way. “I would like to thank my scientific collaborators, Nat Fisch, Igor Kaganovich, Andrei Smolyakov, Michael Keidar, our students, postdocs and lab technicians for contributing to me achieving this recognition by the Lab.”
In his free time, Raitses enjoys traveling and playing volleyball competitively.