Professor Bucur Novac

FREng CEng FIET SMIEEE

  • Professor of Pulsed Power
Publications
Portrait image of Bucur, smiling looking directly at the camera.

Background

Bucur was awarded his MSc (1977) and PhD (1989) both from the Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest. After graduation, he started a scientific research career at the Institute of Atomic Physics (Bucharest). In 1993 Bucur was promoted to Head of the Plasma Physics Laboratory (IPTRD). 

Professor Novac joined the then-department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Univesity in October 1998 as a full time Research Associate. He was later promoted to Research Fellow (2000), Senior Research Fellow (2002), Senior Lecturer (2003), Reader (2009), and finally Professor of Pulsed Power (2011). 

Professional affiliations and external activities

  • Fellow Royal Academy of Engineering (2016) 
  • Fellow IET (2010)  
  • Senior Member IEEE (2008)  
  • Voting member on the Pulsed Power Science & Technology Committee of the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Science Society  
  • Member of the Organising Committee for the IEEE Power Modulator Conferences  
  • Member of the International Organising Committee for the Euro-Asian Pulsed Power Conferences
  • Member of the International Steering Committee for the MEGAGAUSS Conferences  
  • IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Science Society Distinguished Lecturer  
  • Guest Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Special Issue on Power Modulators and Repetitive Pulsed Power, 2011  
  • Guest Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Plasma Physics, Special Issue on Power Modulators and Repetitive Pulsed Power, 2015, 2017  
  • Co-Editor for a special issue, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation (2011)  
  • Chair for the European Pulsed Power Conference, CERN, Geneva, September, 2009  
  • Technical Chair, IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference, Brighton, UK, 2017  
  • Technical Chair, Euro-Asian Pulsed Power Conferences, Estoril, Portugal, 2016 and Biarritz, France, 2021 
  • Co-Chair, UK Pulsed Power Symposiums in 2011, 2014 and 2019  
  • Technical Chair for the 11th Megagauss International Conference, London, UK, 2006  
  • Plenary Talk at the 4th Euro-Asian Pulsed Power Conference, Karlsruhe, 2012  
  • Plenary Talk at the IEEE Power Modulator Conference, San Francisco, 2016  
  • Invited talks at Megagauss Conferences (Berlin 2004, London 2006, Hawaii 2012), Pulsed Power International Conferences (Dallas, 2003) and UK Pulsed Power Symposia (for the last six annual Symposia)  
  • Chair, Industrial Electronics Society Chapter, IEEE UK&RI Section (2009-2011)  

International awards

  • Max Fowler commemorative medal for ‘Outstanding contributions to High Energy Density Physics and the promotion of International Cooperation’, 2008  
  • IEEE DEIS Sol Schneider award for ‘Continuing contributions to compact and repetitive pulsed power technologies and leadership in engineering education’, 2016  
  • Academician A.I. Pavlovsky Prize (Russian Academy of Science) for ‘Outstanding achievements in the field of magnetic cumulation’, 2016 

Broad interests and expertise

  • High-energy pulsed power physics and technology 
  • Underwater plasma discharges and applications 
  • Pulsed Electric Field applications in biology, medicine and food industry 
  • Compact and repetitive pulsed power systems 
  • Magnetic flux-compression and applications 
  • High-current, high-power conditioning systems 
  • Detonics (explosives, shock waves, etc.) 
  • Fast high-current and high-voltage sensors 
  • 2D numerical modelling of pulsed power systems 

 

Current teaching responsibilities

  • 23WSB033 Advanced Electromagnetism 
  • 23WSD518 Elements of Pulsed Power Technology 

Administrative responsibilities

  • Head of the Plasma and Pulsed Power Group