Gekelman joined UCLA in 1974. In 1991, he constructed the original 10-meter-long LAPD to study Alfvén waves in plasmas[9] and served as the director of the facility for 15 years until he was succeeded by Troy Carter in 2016.[10] During his tenure as director, the LAPD was upgraded to a 20-meter long version in 2001 and became a designated national user facility for the study of basic plasma science, which garnered funding support from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy.[4][11] He was also a member of the National Research Council (NRC) Plasma Science Committee and the NRC Burning Plasma Assessment Committee.[2]
Scientific outreach
Gekelman was involved in scientific outreach for high school students.[12][9] In 1993, he led the formation of the Los Angeles Teachers Alliance Group (LAPTAG) and established a plasma laboratory for high school students to conduct research that was subsequently published.[13][14][15] The laboratory is a device similar in construct to the LAPD, but smaller.
In 2002, Gekelman was interviewed by Robyn Williams on his science talk show to discuss the LAPD.[16] He also appeared in the Death Stars episode of Phil Plait's science TV documentary Bad Universe in 2010.[17]
Gekelman also collaborates with UCLA's Art Sci Center as a scientist to deliver public lectures and create works of art inspired by plasma physics.[18][19]
Honors
In 1996, Gekelman was elected as a fellow to the American Physical Society for "a unique, original program of complete and definitive diagnostic studies of magnetic field reconnection and current disruptions in plasmas, achieving major advances and linking space and laboratory plasma physics".[8]
^ abcNational Research Council (U.S.). Plasma 2010 Committee. (2007). Plasma science : advancing knowledge in the national interest. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. ISBN978-0-309-10944-4. OCLC567909228.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Gekelman, W.; Pfister, H.; Lucky, Z.; Bamber, J.; Leneman, D.; Maggs, J. (1991). "Design, construction, and properties of the large plasma research device−The LAPD at UCLA". Review of Scientific Instruments. 62 (12): 2875–2883. Bibcode:1991RScI...62.2875G. doi:10.1063/1.1142175. ISSN0034-6748.
^ abGekelman, W.; Pribyl, P.; Lucky, Z.; Drandell, M.; Leneman, D.; Maggs, J.; Vincena, S.; Van Compernolle, B.; Tripathi, S. K. P. (2016). "The upgraded Large Plasma Device, a machine for studying frontier basic plasma physics". Review of Scientific Instruments. 87 (2): 025105. Bibcode:2016RScI...87b5105G. doi:10.1063/1.4941079. ISSN0034-6748. PMID26931889.
^Gekelman, Walter; Pribyl, Patrick; Birge-Lee, Henry; Wise, Joe; Katz, Cami; Wolman, Ben; Baker, Bob; Marmie, Ken; Patankar, Vedang; Bridges, Gabriel; Buckley-Bonanno, Samuel (2016). "Drift waves and chaos in a LAPTAG plasma physics experiment". American Journal of Physics. 84 (2): 118–126. Bibcode:2016AmJPh..84..118G. doi:10.1119/1.4936460. ISSN0002-9505.
^Echtebas, Chloe; Hwang, Roland; Shin, Jane; Gekelman, Walter; Pribyl, Patrick; Wise, Joe; Baker, Robert; Lee, Amy (2010). "Experimental Measurement of Whistler Waves at the LAPTAG high school plasma laboratory". APS. 2010: C1.046. Bibcode:2010APS..APR.C1046E.
^Layton, William; Gekelman, Walter; Pribyl, Patrick (1999). "LAPTAG High School Plasma Physics laboratory". APS. 41: GP1.10. Bibcode:1999APS..DPP.GP110L.
^"LAPD". ABC Radio National. April 18, 2002. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
^Bad Universe (Documentary), Phil Plait, Tony Stephens, Tony Mulhare, Morningstar Entertainment, 2010, retrieved January 19, 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)