John Winston Belcher

John Winston Belcher is a Class of 1922 Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Belcher's research interests are within the areas of space plasma physics. He was the principal investigator on the Voyager Plasma Science Experiment and is now a co-investigator on the Plasma Science Experiment on board the Voyager Interstellar Mission.[1] Professor Belcher has twice received the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, and received the 2016 Oersted Medal for his exceptional work in revolutionizing the Undergraduate Physics department at MIT by introducing novel teaching formats such as TEAL.[2] Belcher is actively involved in Mental Health initiatives at the institute and is an active MacVicar Faculty Fellow (2000-2006) [3] [4]

John Winston Belcher
Born
Louisiana, United States
NationalityAmerican
Alma materRice University (1965 SM)
Caltech (1971 Ph.D.)
AwardsNASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (1980 and 1990) and Hans Christian Oersted Medal (2016)
Scientific career
FieldsProfessor, Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InstitutionsMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Background

Belcher was born in Louisiana in 1943 and graduated from Odessa High School in 1961. After high school he supported the civil rights movement by participating in the Freedom Rides. Belcher later graduated from Rice University with a double major in Math and Physics. He later went to Caltech and received his PhD in Astrophysics. Shortly after which Belcher came to MIT and began work with the Space Plasma Group on the Voyager project.

[5]

Work
  • Postdoctoral fellow, Interplanetary Plasma Group, 1971
  • Assistant Professor, MIT Physics, 1971-1975
  • Associate Professor, MIT Physics, 1975-1982
  • Professor, MIT Physics, 1982–Present
  • Class of '22 Professorship, 2004–Present
  • Associate Chair of the MIT Faculty, 2013-2014

Honors and Achievements

References
  1. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-impressive-professors-at-mit-2015-8#jeremy-england-suggests-that-the-beginning-of-life-on-earth-was-not-random-8
  2. http://web.mit.edu/physics/people/faculty/belcher_john.html
  3. https://science.mit.edu/news/john-belcher-receives-prestigious-oersted-medal%5B%5D
  4. https://science.mit.edu/news/physics-receives-2012-aps-award-improving-undergraduate-physics-education
  5. http://web.mit.edu/jbelcher/www/categories/personal/index.htm
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