Derek Schaeffer, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, has been named a 2026 Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences. He is one of 80 emerging scientific research leaders in the U.S. selected by the NAS program to participate in a series of symposiums — three-day events during which the scientists will build networks and share ideas across a variety of disciplines.
The academy’s Frontiers of Science series this year will include a trilateral symposium with Japan and Germany, as well as bilateral symposia with China and Israel. The U.S. national symposium was held March 5–7 at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering in Irvine, California.
Schaeffer, who specializes in optical, X-ray and particle diagnostics, focuses his research on experiments and numerical simulations in astrophysics that explore the behavior of magnetized plasma. He leads research programs that investigate how collisionless shocks form, how magnetic fields reconnect and accelerate particles, and how plasma flows create and sustain ion-scale magnetospheres. These initiatives can help scientists better understand the complex processes within space and astrophysics, including astrophysical phenomena, particle acceleration and inertial fusion energy.
Schaeffer conducts experiments at the University of Rochester’s Omega Laser Facility, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Large Plasma Device at UCLA and other facilities. He was recently named a Cottrell Scholar.