William J. Nellis


William J. Nellis is an American physicist. He is an associate of the Physics Department of Harvard University. His work has focused on ultra-condensed matter at extreme pressures, densities and temperatures achieved by fast dynamic compression.
He is the recipient of the Bridgman Award of AIRAPT, the Duvall Award of APS and is a fellow of the APS Division of Condensed Matter Physics.

Early life and education

Nellis received his B.S. degree in Physics from Loyola University of Chicago, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in 1963 and his Ph.D. degree in Physics from Iowa State University in 1968.

Career and work

From 1970 to 1973, Nellis was assistant professor of Physics at Monmouth College. In 1973, he left Monmouth to join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. There he made the first experimental observation of a metallic phase of dense hydrogen.
In 2004, Nellis joined the Department of Physics at Harvard University as an associate.
Nellis was the president of International Association for the Advancement of High Pressure Science and Technology from 2003 to 2007.

Awards and honors