Electric and micro propulsion, low temperature plasma and plasma discharges, spacecraft and space mission design, alternative energy generation and storage.

Google Scholar page

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Patents

1. Wirz R.E., Aspe S., “Integrated Wind Turbine,” Patent No. US 9,228,564, Jan. 05, 2016
2. Wirz R.E., “Accelerator System and Method for Accelerating Particles,” Patent No. US 7,773,362 B1, Aug. 10, 2010
3. Wirz R.E., “Internally Conductively-Heated Cathode,” Patent No. US 7,471,035 B2, Dec. 30, 2008
4. Conversano R.W., Goebel D.M., Wirz R.E., “Magnetically Shielded Miniature Hall Thruster,” Patent Application No. US 14/506,635, filed Oct 4, 2014
5. Wirz R.E., Stopin A., Tse L.A., Lavine A.S., Kavehpour H.P., Lakeh R.B., Furst B., Bran-Anleu G. , Garcia-Garibay M.A., “High-Density, High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage And Retrieval ,” Patent Application No. US 14/475479 , filed Sept 02, 2014

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NASA Tech Briefs

1. Wirz R., Gamero, Goebel D., “Pulsed Operation of an Ion Accelerator,” NASA Tech Brief, NPO-44961, pg. 52, Vol. 33, No. 2, Feb 2009.
2. Goebel D., Polk J. E., Wirz R., “Increasing the Life of a Xenon-Ion Spacecraft Thruster,” NASA Tech Brief, NPO-43495, Vol. 31, No. 11, Nov 2007.

• Handheld aCAP device eliminates cancer cells with plasma | The Engineer, October 2021
• Prof. Richard Wirz interviewed by Al Jazeera regarding Jeff Bezos' Sub-Orbital Flight | Al Jazeera, July 2021
• UCLA Researchers Find Cold Plasma Can Kill COVID-19 On Surfaces In 30 Seconds | CBS Los Angeles, November 2020
• UCLA Innovative ‘Biplane’ Design Could Lead to Next Generation of Wind Turbines, December 2019

Caltech, 2005

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

• Senior Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE
• Power & Energy Society
• Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society
• Sigma Gamma Tau, Aerospace Honor Society
• Electric Rocket Propulsion Society, ERPS
• American Solar Energy Society, ASES
• Part-time Senior Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology