Education

• Ph.D., Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, 2006
  • Dissertation title: Symmetric Neutralized Ion Beams: Production, Acceleration, Propagation, and Applications.
• M.S., Physics, University of California, Lost Angeles, 2000
• B.S., Physics, Washington State University, 1998
  • Honors College
  • Magna Cum Laude

Teaching Responsibilities

• PHYS A123 & A124 College Physics I & II
• PHYS A211 & A212 General Physics I & II
• PHYS A413 Statistical & Thermal Physics

Research Interests

Experimental and computational plasma, beam, and accelerator physics; plasma diagnostics; fusion energy.

Please visit the UAA Plasma Physics Laboratory page or my ResearchGate page for further information.

My research as a physicist has focused on producing innovations in fusion energy science. I am principally an experimentalist, but also do extensive computational work as it suits the topic. In my Ph.D. work at UCLA, I studied a new type of ion beam (composed of both positive and negative ions), as well as a means to accelerate such a beam and the physics of beam transport across a magnetic field:


As a post-doc in the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak group in Garching, Germany, I worked in the mainstream of the international magnetic confinement fusion effort, and was responsible for operation and physics analysis of electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostic data. With my colleagues, I integrated ECE into the real-time diagnostic loop for detection of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs):


During a US Dept. of Energy Fusion Post-doc Fellowship at the University of Washington, I explored measurement of the interval magnetic field in the relatively low-field, high density HIT-SI spheromak plasma. A novel polarimeter diagnostic was designed:


I am continuing the polarimeter development here at UAA, as well as continuing to explore other fusion and plasma diagnostic topics and topics in RF plasma sheaths and ion beams. I focus on fusion energy because of its great potential to benefit society by providing clean, virtually limitless energy. In considering the ramification of transformative science like fusion, I have also developed an interest in studying energy policy scenarios that ensure that the advent of fusion energy occurs in a way that is truly beneficial to the peoples and natural environment of the world and is not exploitative or destructive.

Publications

Full list of publications available at ResearchGate

Recent Publications:

“Conceptual design of an RF multipole plasma transport and trap loading experiment”, N. K. Hicks, M. Zaki, M. Mojica, I. Hamlin, P. Renner, and B. Stassel, Results in Physics 15, 102568 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2019.102568

“Non-adiabatic reflection of particles in a multipole plasma trap configuration”, N. K. Hicks and D. Massin, Results in Physics 17 103044 (2020)  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2020.103044

“Particle-in-Cell Simulation of Quasi-Neutral Plasma Trapping by RF Multipole Electric Fields”, Hicks, N.K.; Bowman, A.; Godden, K., Physics 2019, 1, 392-401. https://doi.org/10.3390/physics1030028

Other Selected Publications:

"Disruption Mitigation: 3D MHD Simulations and Experimental Validation:, S. Woodruf, N. K. Hicks, D. A. Ennis, J. E. Stuber, K. J. McCollam, E. M. Hollman, J. Titus, Conf. Proc: Exploratory Plasma Research (2013)

"Imposed-Dynamo Current Drive", T. R. Jarboe, B. S. Victor, B. A. Nelson, C. J. Hansen, C. Akcay, D. A. Ennis, N. K. Hicks, A. C. Hossack, G. J. Marklin, and R. J. Smith, Nucl. Fusion 53, 083017 (2012)

"A single-probe-beam double-heterodyne polarimeter-interferometer for plasma Faraday rotation measurements," J. Howard, J. Muir, F. Glass, N. Hicks, Journal of Instrumentation 7, P07099 (2012) doi:10.1088/1748-0221/7/07/P0700

"Evidence for Separatix Formation and Sustainment with Steady Inductive Helicity Injection", B. S. Victor, T. R. Jarboe, A. C. Hossack, D. A. Ennis, B. A. Nelson, R. J. Smith, C. Akcay, C. J. Hansen, G. J. Marklin, N. K. Hicks, and J. S. Wrobel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 165005 (2011)

"Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak", M. García-Muñoz, N. Hicks, R. van Voornveld, I. G. J. Classen, R. Bilato, V. Robkov, M. Brambilla, M. Brüdgam, H. U. Fahrbach, V. Igochine, S. Jaemsae, M. Maraschek, K. Sassenberg, ASDEX Upgrade Team, Nuc. Fusion 50, 8 (2010) doi:10.1088/0029-5515/50/084004

"Fast Sampling Upgrade and Real Time NTM Control Application of the ECE Radiometer on ASDEX Upgrade", N. K. Hicks, W. Suttrop, K. Behler, S. Cirant, G. d'Antona, M. García-Muñoz, L. Giannone, M. Maraschek, G. Raupp, M. Reich, A. C. C. Sips, J. Stober, W. Treutterer, F. Volpe, and the ASDEX Upgrade Team, Fusion Sci. Tech. 57, 1 (2010)