physics

Mounir Laroussi

Mounir Laroussi is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mounir Laroussi rather than just read about it. In short: Mounir Laroussi (born August 9, 1955) is a Tunisian-American scientist. He is known for his work in plasma science, especially low temperature plasmas and their biomedical applications.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Mounir Laroussi (born August 9, 1955) is a Tunisian-American scientist. He is known for his work in plasma science, especially low temperature plasmas and their biomedical applications.

Biography

Early life Mounir Laroussi was born and raised in Sfax, Tunisia, the son of Habib Laroussi and Manana Jeloul. He is the middle child of three siblings.

Education Laroussi attended the Alexander Dumas Elementary School and the Lycee Technique de Sfax (middle school and high school). He received his “Diplome d’Ingenieur” from the Ecole Nationale d’Ingenieurs de Sfax (ENIS) and completed his Master's equivalent thesis in 1981 at the Ecole Nationale Superieure d’ Electronique et de Radioelectricite de Bordeaux (ENSERB) in Bordeaux, France. In 1988, Laroussi received his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee. In 1995, Laroussi joined the Microwave & Plasma Laboratory of the University of Tennessee as a research assistant professor. In 1998, Laroussi joined Old Dominion University as a research associate professor in the Applied Research Center. In 2003, he became an associate professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Old Dominion. In 2008, Laroussi was appointed full professor. He is currently a professor at the electrical and computer engineering department of ODU and is the director of ODU’s Laser & Plasma Engineering Institute (LPEI).

Academic and scientific career Laroussi's research interests are in the physical electronics area, particularly in the applications of non-equilibrium gaseous discharges. Amongst these are the generation of large volume low temperature plasmas, the interaction of microwaves with plasmas, and the biomedical applications of cold plasmas, a field known as “Plasma Medicine”. In the latter, he published seminal papers on the interaction of low-temperature plasmas with biological cells. In plasma medicine research, low temperature plasmas (or simply cold plasmas) are used to inactivate bacteria and proteins, assist in wound care, destroy some types of cancer cells, and play an active role in various other medical therapies. In 2009 the Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) elevated Laroussi to Fellow for his contributions to the biomedical applications of plasmas[3]. Laroussi's best-known invention is the plasma pencil. This device can generate long plumes or jets of cold plasmas that can be used in various biomedical applications, including in dentistry. The plasma pencil was the subject of wide media coverage including a mention in an article in National Geographic (February 2006 issue), and ABC online news. It was featured in science/technology shows on the History Channel and the Smithsonian Channel. Laroussi served as an elected member of the Administrative Committee (2002–2005) and the Plasma Science and Applications Executive Committee (2005–2007) of the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS). He has also served as a Guest Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, and of Plasma Processes and Polymers, a Wiley-VCH journal. He serves as an IEEE-NPSS Distinguished Lecturer.

Awards IEEE Millennium Medal, 2000 Excellence in Research Award from the Batten College of Engineering and Technology, Old Dominion University, May 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Old Dominion University, June 2006 Excellence in Innovation Award from the Hampton Road Technology Council, May 2006 Research Achievement Award, Old Dominion University, May 2009 Achievement Award, International Society on Plasma Medicine, September 2010 Fellow of the American Physical Society, 2023

Personal In addition to his scientific work, Laroussi writes short stories and is a soccer player and fan. He is fluent in Arabic, French, and English.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mounir Laroussi

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mounir Laroussi claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mounir Laroussi before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mounir Laroussi ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mounir Laroussi

In research: Mounir Laroussi appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mounir Laroussi in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mounir Laroussi is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1955 births, 21st-century American inventors, 21st-century American physicists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mounir Laroussi outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mounir Laroussi in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Mounir Laroussi in simple terms?

Mounir Laroussi (born August 9, 1955) is a Tunisian-American scientist. He is known for his work in plasma science, especially low temperature plasmas and their biomedical applications.

Why does Mounir Laroussi matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mounir Laroussi?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mounir Laroussi.