Zhihong Lin
Chancellor's Professor, Physics & Astronomy
School of Physical Sciences
School of Physical Sciences
Ph.D., Princeton University, 1996, Plasma Physics
B.S., Peking University, China, 1989, Physics
B.S., Peking University, China, 1989, Physics
University of California, Irvine
4176 Frederick Reines Hall
Mail Code: 4575
Irvine, CA 92697
4176 Frederick Reines Hall
Mail Code: 4575
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
plasma physics, turbulence, transport, massively parallel computing, particle-in-cell simulation
Websites
Academic Distinctions
Chancellor's Professor, University of California, Irvine, 2023.
Chang Jiang Scholars, Peking University, China, 2009.
American Physical Society, Fellow, 2006.
NSF CAREER Award, 2004.
DOE Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Award, 2003.
US Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, 2000.
DOE Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering, 2000.
Kaul Foundation Prize for Excellence in Plasma Physics and Technology Development, 1999.
Chang Jiang Scholars, Peking University, China, 2009.
American Physical Society, Fellow, 2006.
NSF CAREER Award, 2004.
DOE Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Award, 2003.
US Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, 2000.
DOE Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering, 2000.
Kaul Foundation Prize for Excellence in Plasma Physics and Technology Development, 1999.
Research Abstract
I study the physics of high temperature plasma, the fourth state of matter that constitutes 99% of the visible universe. Plasma physics is the scientific foundation for fusion energy, which powers the stars such as the Sun and promises for a clean and unlimited energy source for the humanity. I use advanced simulations on the world’s fastest supercomputers to study turbulent transport, which is one of the most important scientific challenges in burning plasma experiment ITER, the crucial next step in the quest for the fusion energy and the biggest international science collaboration. My UCI research group are collaborating with fusion experiments in US, EU, UK, China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
Publications
http://sun.ps.uci.edu/zlin/bib/bib.htm
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ti-YBgMAAAAJ&hl=en
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ti-YBgMAAAAJ&hl=en
Professional Societies
American Physical Society
American Geophysical Union
Other Experience
Associate Professor
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 2005—2008
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 2005—2008
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 2002—2005
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 2002—2005
Research Physicist
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University 2001—2002
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University 2001—2002
Staff Research Physicist
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University 1997—2001
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University 1997—2001
U.S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Postdoctoral Fellow
Princeton University 1995—1997
Princeton University 1995—1997
Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=4975
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=4975
Last updated
09/29/2025
09/29/2025