Congratulations to Professor Leanne Pitchford and Professor Gerrit Kroesen, joint winners of this year’s Von Engel & Franklin Prize.

The Prize was announced at this year’s International Conference on Phenomena in Ionized Gases (ICPIG) and is awarded biennially for outstanding work in the field of the physics and technology of plasmas and ionized gases.

The recipients are respectively a member of the Editorial Board for the IOP Publishing journal Plasma Sources Science and Technology, and a former Board Member for Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.

Professor Pitchford received her award for outstanding contributions to the physics and technology of ionized gases, the understanding of the processes that take place in dielectric barrier discharges, the study of spaceship propulsion systems and in the construction of basic data benchmarks for ionized gases.

She was also noted for the determination with which she involved herself in the activities of the international scientific committees of the conferences associated with the ionized gas phenomena.

Professor Kroesen’s nomination cited his contributions with many international colleagues to the field of discharge physics, sustained over many years. Particular mention was made of his pioneering work on plasma deposition and etching where he improved the understanding of plasma and sheath dynamics, plasma and sheath chemistry.

Also cited were his leading contributions to dusty plasma physics, lighting and EUV sources, and his pioneering work in plasma medicine.

The winners each gave a special lecture at the conference in Iasi, Romania.

A collection of Professor Pitchford’s and Professor Kroesen’s published articles are available on IOPscience.