Peter Bruggeman Receives 2026 William Crookes Prize

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that Professor Peter Bruggeman has received the 2026 William Crookes Prize at the Europhysics Conference on Atomic and Molecular Physics of Ionized Gases (ESCAMPIG).

Bruggeman was recognized for “his major contributions to scientific topics covered by ESCAMPIG, particularly in low-temperature plasma science, plasma diagnostics, atmospheric-pressure plasmas, and plasma-liquid interactions.”

Named for the British physicist and chemist Sir William Crookes, the prize is jointly sponsored by the European Physical Society and the Institute of Physics. It is awarded every other year to a mid-career researcher for significant contributions in one or more areas covered by ESCAMPIG, based on their entire career to date. Recipients deliver a General Invited Lecture at the conference.

Professor Peter Bruggeman delivers the William Crookes Prize lecture.

In his award lecture, "Advancing plasma science and engineering catalyzed by diagnostics," Bruggeman framed his group's work around one unifying thread: "We cannot control what we cannot measure." The lecture focused on developing diagnostic approaches to uncover the mechanisms of interactions between plasmas and liquids, solids, and living matter, with applications in health care, resource utilization, energy resilience, and materials processing.

Reflecting on the recognition, Bruggeman shares:

“It is an honor to stand alongside the esteemed past recipients of the William Crookes Prize. This recognition reflects a collective effort, made possible by the exceptional students, postdocs, and collaborators I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years. The visionary support of our funding agencies and dedicated program managers has been invaluable to this journey. I look forward to continuing to serve our community and collaborating to advance plasma science.”