Rate My Professor Donald Melrose

Melrose specializes in plasma astrophysics, with research on coherent radio emission mechanisms, pulsars, solar flares, relativistic plasmas in astrophysical jets, and quantum electrodynamics in superstrong magnetic fields. Key publications include Plasma Astrophysics Volume I: Emission, Absorption and Transfer of Waves in Plasmas (1980), Plasma Astrophysics Volume II: Astrophysical Applications (1980), Instabilities in Space and Laboratory Plasmas (1986), Electromagnetic Processes in Dispersive Media (1991, with R.C. McPhedran), Plasma Astrophysics (Saas-Fee Advanced Course 24, 1994, with J.G. Kirk and E.R. Priest), Quantum Plasmadynamics: Unmagnetized Plasmas (2008), and Quantum Plasmadynamics: Magnetized Plasmas (2013). He has received major awards including the Pawsey Memorial Medal (1974), Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1986), Walter Boas Medal (1986), Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal (1987), Harrie Massey Medal and Prize (1998), Centenary Medal (2002), Ellery Medal (2004), Moyal Medal (2013), and S. Chandrasekhar Prize (2016). Melrose has contributed to the field through leadership roles such as Chair of the National Committee for Astronomy (1980-1984), Chair of the Steering Committee for the Australia Telescope National Facility (1994-1997), President of IAU Commission 10 (2003-2006) and Division II (2006-2009), and editorial positions including Associate Editor of the Journal of Plasma Physics (1992-2006).