Neville C. Luhmann
1943-2025
Above (left to right): Thijs de Graauw, Koji Mizuno, and Neville Luhmann at the 2018 IRMMW-THz conference in Nagoya, Japan.
Neville C. Luhmann, Jr., a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis and a towering figure in the fields of plasma physics and vacuum electronics, passed away on September 5, 2025, at the age of 82. He was a beloved mentor, a visionary leader, and a world-renowned scientist whose work helped shape modern high-frequency electronics.
Dr. Luhmann began his illustrious academic journey at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics in 1966. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1972. Following a postdoctoral research associate position at the prestigious Princeton University Plasma Physics Lab, he launched his academic career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Over a distinguished 20-year tenure at UCLA, he ascended from Assistant Professor to Full Professor. A natural leader and innovator, he founded and directed the Center for High Frequency Electronics and served as Co-Director of the Joint Services Electronics Program in Millimeter Wave Electronics. His exceptional ability to lead complex, multi-institutional research was recognized through his role as Program Director for several critical Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiatives (MURI) consortia, focusing on high-energy microwave sources and vacuum electronics.
Dr. Luhmann joined UC Davis in 1993 and was appointed in 2003 to the position of Distinguished Professor at UC Davis, one of the highest honors bestowed upon a faculty member. He continued his groundbreaking work, co-directing the Davis Millimeter Wave Research Center and expanding his research into fusion plasma diagnostics. His international acclaim was evident through his roles as an ITER Scientist Fellow and his membership on academic committees for major international research institutions.
A prolific author of approximately 420 journal articles and 18 books, Dr. Luhmann’s contributions were celebrated with the most prestigious awards in his field. These included the Robert L. Woods/DoD Award, the IEEE John R. Pierce Award for Excellence in Vacuum Electronics, and the Kenneth J. Button Prize from The International Society of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2005.
He was also a dedicated mentor, honored with UC Davis’s Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentoring Award and the Consortium for Women and Research Outstanding Mentor Award. Professor Luhmann has supervised the graduation of more than 100 Ph.D. students, the majority of whom were women. Students and colleagues alike remember Dr. Luhmann for his unwavering support, intellectual generosity, and ability to inspire curiosity and excellence.
Dr. Luhmann was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), distinctions that reflect the profound and lasting impact of his work. He will be remembered for his brilliant mind, his generous mentorship, and his unwavering commitment to advancing human knowledge. His passing leaves a profound void in the scientific community, but his legacy will continue to illuminate the path for future generations of researchers.
Dr. Luhmann is survived by his wife, Janet Luhmann, and a wide circle of colleagues, students, and friends who will carry forward his legacy.
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