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Fusion and Plasmas

Summary

Summary

As a leader in fusion research, NSE is driving advances that bring the promise of fusion energy closer to reality. Faculty and students are addressing the full spectrum of scientific and engineering challenges required to realize fusion power — from understanding complex plasma behavior and stability, to developing novel reactor designs, advanced materials, and high-field magnet technologies. The work spans fundamental theory, computational modeling, and experimental validation, all aimed at transforming fusion into a practical, sustainable energy source. Through bold, interdisciplinary research, NSE is shaping the future of clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy.

Highlights

Fusion and Plasmas Highlights

NSE welcomes three new faculty in 2024-25
Sophia Henneberg focuses on developing, utilizing, and extending optimization tools to identify new, promising stellarator designs, which are a promising path toward fusion energy. Ethan Peterson focuses on improving radiation transport and transmutation methods for the design of fusion technologies, as well as whole-facility modeling for fusion power plants. Dean Price focuses on the simulation and control of advanced reactors, with expertise in uncertainty quantification, scientific machine learning, and artificial intelligence for nuclear applications.
Students receive DOE Fellowships for work in fusion and plasmas
NSE graduate students at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Audrey DeVault and Bryan Foo, are recipients of highly competitive Department of Energy fellowships that support emerging leaders in high-energy density physics and nuclear science.
Signposts on the way to new territory
Professor Zachary Hartwig, who exemplifies a rare but powerful kind of mentorship — one grounded not just in intellectual excellence, but in deep personal care, is honored as “Committed to Caring.”
Working to make fusion a viable energy source
As the Norman C. Rasmussen Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, George Tynan is looking forward to addressing the big physics and engineering challenges of fusion plasmas.
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Faculty and Scientists

Faculty & Scientists

Jeffrey P. Freidberg
Zachary Hartwig
Sophia Henneberg
Ian H. Hutchinson
Ju Li
Mingda Li
Nuno F. Loureiro
Ronald R. Parker
Ethan Peterson
George Tynan
Haruko Murakami Wainwright
Anne White
Dennis G. Whyte

More Research Fields

More Research Fields

Fission
Materials in Extreme Environments
Modeling and Simulation
Nuclear Reactions and Radiation
Nuclear Security and Policy
Quantum Engineering