Chen Shi, an assistant professor in Auburn University’s Department of Physics, has received a 2026 Kamide Lecture Award from the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society, or AOGS.
The Kamide Lecture Awards recognize outstanding early-career researchers selected by the scientific sections of AOGS. Shi was chosen by the society’s Solar and Terrestrial Sciences Section for his contributions to the understanding of plasma turbulence, the origin of the solar wind and the physical processes that shape the space environment surrounding Earth.
“This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes from colleagues in the solar and terrestrial sciences community,” Shi said. “The solar wind connects the Sun to Earth and to the rest of the solar system. Understanding how it is heated and accelerated is not only a fundamental question in physics—it is also essential to understanding the space weather that can affect satellites, communications and other technologies.”
Shi presented his award lecture, “Generation of Supersonic Solar Wind: The Role of Plasma Turbulence,” at the 2026 AOGS Annual Meeting in Fukuoka, Japan.
The solar wind is a continuous stream of electrically charged particles, known as plasma, flowing outward from the Sun. Although the Sun’s gravity pulls matter inward, the solar wind escapes the solar atmosphere and accelerates to supersonic speeds. Explaining where the additional energy comes from — and how that energy is transferred to the plasma — remains one of the central challenges of space physics.
A leading possibility is turbulence. Much like swirling air in Earth’s atmosphere, plasma surrounding the Sun contains fluctuations and interacting motions across an enormous range of scales. Energy carried by large-scale motions can cascade into progressively smaller structures, where it may eventually be converted into heat and help propel the solar wind outward.
Shi’s research combines theoretical physics, advanced numerical simulations and measurements from spacecraft, including NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, to investigate this process. The Parker Solar Probe has traveled closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft, providing scientists with an unprecedented view of the region where the solar wind is born.
In his award lecture, Shi traced the development of scientific ideas about the solar wind, beginning with physicist Eugene Parker’s foundational model. He then discussed why additional energy sources are required to reproduce the solar wind observed by spacecraft and how plasma turbulence may supply that missing energy.
“Dr. Shi’s selection for the Kamide Lecture Award is a tremendous distinction and an exciting recognition of the impact of his research,” said Allen Landers, professor and chair of Auburn’s Department of Physics. “Chen is addressing some of the most important unanswered questions in space physics. We are delighted to have him as part of Auburn’s vibrant research program in plasma and space science.”
Shi joined Auburn University in 2025. He earned a bachelor’s degree in space science and technology from Peking University in 2015 and a doctorate in geophysics and space physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2020. He subsequently worked at UCLA as a postdoctoral researcher and assistant researcher.
In addition to studying solar wind turbulence, Shi investigates magnetic reconnection — a process in which magnetic fields rapidly reorganize and release stored energy — and develops high-performance computational codes for large-scale plasma simulations. These areas of research are central to understanding the solar corona, solar eruptions and the space-weather events that can interact with Earth’s magnetic environment.
The Asia Oceania Geosciences Society was established to promote research and international collaboration across the geosciences. Its annual meeting brings together researchers working in atmospheric, ocean, planetary, solar, terrestrial and solid-earth sciences.