▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁Co ppi ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁science ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁Vo y ager ▁ 2 ▁space ▁pro be . ▁ ▁Co ppi ▁works ▁on ▁theoretical ▁pl asma ▁physics , ▁space ▁pl as mas ▁and ▁magnetic ▁fusion . ▁At ▁M IT , ▁he ▁initi ated ▁the ▁Alc ator ▁Program , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Russian - American ▁Ign itor ▁program , ▁that ▁a ims ▁at ▁building ▁near ▁Moscow ▁a ▁fusion ▁re actor ▁with ▁Co ppi ▁as ▁the ▁principal ▁investig ator ▁for ▁the ▁project . ▁In ▁addition , ▁Co ppi ▁is ▁taking ▁a ▁leading ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁F ras c ati ▁Tor us ▁Program ▁in ▁Italy . ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁Co ppi ▁received ▁the ▁James ▁C ler k ▁Max well ▁Prize ▁for ▁Pl asma ▁Physics ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁Award ▁of ▁Ex cell ence ▁in ▁Pl asma ▁Physics ▁from ▁the ▁American ▁Phys ical ▁Society . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁American ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Sciences ▁( since ▁ 1 9 7 6 ) ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁a ▁fellow ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Phys ical ▁Society . ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁American ▁D ante ▁Al igh ieri ▁Prize , ▁the ▁Science ▁Prize ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁government , ▁the ▁science ▁and ▁technology ▁prize ▁from ▁Ital gas , ▁and ▁the ▁gold ▁medal ▁of ▁the ▁Milan ▁Poly techn ic ▁Institute . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁kn ight ed ▁Grand