1 December 2004 (To download a print-quality file of a photo for Mr. Marsala, go to the end of this article.)

Marsala Receives PPPL Distinguished Engineering Prize

Plainsboro, New Jersey -- Robert Marsala, an engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), is this year's PPPL Distinguished Engineering Fellow. He was honored during a ceremony and reception at the Laboratory last week. The Laboratory recognized Marsala for significant contributions to the advancement of plasma science and electrical engineering technology. The citation noted Marsala for his technical ability, creativity, and resourcefulness, as well as for a long history of innovative contributions in the design, fabrication, operation, and maintenance of electronic systems that have proven critical to the high performance, safe, and reliable operation of many fusion experiments at the Laboratory. PPPL Director Rob Goldston, who presented the award, likened Marsala to a wizard. "Every major Laboratory needs a wizard, and Bob is ours. He gets credit both for much of the electronic control circuitry that allows our big scientific machines to operate, and for the delicate diagnostic circuits that measures the science that goes on in them. Of course if the machines didn't operate, we wouldn't need to measure anything -- and vice versa -- so Bob's contributions are doubly valuable." In 1961, Marsala received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering From Rutgers University, graduating with high honors. He worked for RCA in the Astro-Electronics Division from 1961 to 1978, participating in the design and testing of many camera systems used in satellites. From 1967 to 1969, Marsala worked half time at Astro while attending Princeton University, where he received a master's degree in electrical engineering in 1969. In 1978, Marsala joined the Electronics Group at PPPL, and for the last 26 years, he has been responsible for the design of most of the magnetic monitoring and control, as well as coil protection, on PPPL's major fusion machines. Marsala is a resident of Jackson, N.J. The Distinguished Research and Engineering Fellow Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, was created to recognize members of the Laboratory's research staff, as well as engineering and scientific staff, for their accomplishments. Fellows receive one-time gifts of $5,000 and qualify for priority in regard to their research and engineering programs. PPPL, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars. In the interior of stars, matter is converted into energy by the fusion, or joining, of the nuclei of light atoms to form heavier elements. At PPPL, physicists use a magnetic field to confine a hot ionized gas, or plasma, as the fuel for fusion energy production. Scientists hope eventually to use fusion energy for the generation of electricity. The Laboratory is on Princeton's James Forrestal Campus, off U.S. Route 1 in Plainsboro, New Jersey. For further information, please contact: Anthony R. DeMeo Head, Information Services Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (609) 243-2755 ademeo@pppl.gov Patricia Wieser Information Services Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (609) 243-2757 pwieser@pppl.gov Downloadable print-quality photo of: Mr. Robert Marsala. Resolution is 300 dpi, print size is approximately 6 inches wide by 8 inches high, file type is jpeg, and file size is 3.7 MB. Photo by Elle Starkman, PPPL.

PPPL is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University.

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Created: 1 December 2004 Send questions or comments to: Anthony R. DeMeo at ademeo@pppl.gov