Pablo Bilbao awarded EPS PPD PhD Research Award
Pablo Bilbao has been awarded the prestigious European Physical Society (EPS) Plasma Physics Division PhD Research Award for his doctoral thesis entitled “Kinetic instabilities in extreme plasma physics: laboratory and astrophysical dynamics”. The prize is granted annually to recognize the best PhD theses in Plasma Physics in Europe, highlighting scientific excellence and international impact.
Carried out at IPFN, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Lisbon (ULisboa), under the supervision of Prof. Luís Oliveira e Silva, Bilbao’s PhD work, successfully defended in September 2025 at IST, advances the understanding of extreme plasma regimes, where intense electromagnetic fields, radiative effects and relativistic dynamics fundamentally alter particle behaviour, and identifies key kinetic instability mechanisms that can lead to coherent radio emission.
The EPS Plasma Physics Division PhD Research Award is one of the most distinguished European recognitions for young researchers in the field, awarded based on originality, scientific quality, and the impact of the doctoral research.
This distinction further strengthens the international standing of IPFN, IST, and ULisboa in Plasma Physics. With this award, the institutions add to an outstanding record of Portuguese recipients — all trained at IPFN/IST/ULisboa: Bruno Gonçalves (2005), Frederico Fiúza (2013), Rogério Jorge (2020), Mario Galetti (2021), and Luis Gil (2023).
At the European level, this track record places IPFN/IST/ULisboa second in the number of EPS Plasma Physics Division PhD Research Award recipients, surpassed only by the University of Oxford, a clear testament to the sustained excellence, consistency, and international impact of the research carried out at IPFN.
Pablo Bilbao’s award represents not only an individual achievement of the highest level, but also a reflection of the strength and continuity of the Portuguese Plasma Physics community.
Congratulations Pablo!
