David M. Villeneuve
David M. Villeneuve (born 1952) is a Canadian physicist working in ultrafast optics and attosecond laser science. He has been associated with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), where his research has focused on laser–matter interactions and strong-field physics.
Early life and education
Villeneuve was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He studied at the University of Waterloo, where he received a Bachelor of Mathematics in 1975 and a Ph.D. in physics in 1980. He later carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Rochester in nonlinear optics.
Career
Villeneuve joined the National Research Council of Canada in 1982. He worked there as a research scientist in ultrafast optics and attosecond science. He has held adjunct academic appointments at the University of Ottawa and INRS-EMT. Villeneuve retired from NRC in 2021 and was named researcher emeritus.
Research
Villeneuve’s research deals with ultrafast laser physics, including experiments on high-intensity laser pulses and their interaction with matter. His work includes studies of high-harmonic generation and electron dynamics on short timescale.
Awards and honours
- Villeneuve received the IEEE Quantum Electronics Award in 2016.
- Royal Society of Canada
- American Physical Society
- Optica