Frontiers of Fusion: A Seat with a View
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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an expert in possession of a good idea, must be in want of an audience.
Between the 13th and 17th April, that privileged and fortunate audience consisted of the Fusion CDT and MSc in Fusion Energy cohorts, with a wide array of experts from academia, industry, and policy sharing their boots-on-the-ground perspective at the frontiers of fusion.
Proceedings were initiated in the vast National STEM Centre by the Dean of the York Graduate Research School, Prof. Paul Wakeling, who provided some grounding in the world of research and apt fusion-relevant analogies (though, thankfully, without the 14.1 MeV electrons). Following that inspirational introduction began the first of ten talks that were to be delivered over the next three days.
The first speaker was Dr. Ksenia Aleynikova from the Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP), Greifswald, Germany who provided a stellar overview of kinetic ballooning modes in magnetically confined plasmas, with a focus on the world’s largest stellarator, Wendelstein 7-X device. Remaining in the world of magnetic confinement and fusion ambition, Prof. Chris Waldon, Chief Engineer for the Spherical Tokamak for Energy
Production (STEP) at the UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS), delivered a step-by-step breakdown of the technical demands of one of the largest and most important prototypical fusion devices globally.
After a brief, caffeine-filled lunch break, Hannah Barrett and Edward Wright from the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire County Councils respectively banded together to speak on the Trent Supercluster and the benefits STEP and its neighbours will bring to the local area, alongside the infrastructural requirements for long-term, sustainable development. This was followed aptly by the final talk of the day by Dr. Valerie Jamieson from the Fusion Cluster and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) who outlined the steady growth of the sector and the benefit of collaboration and upskilling.
Following an exhilarating first day in the lecture theatre, several members of the cohort got their muscles and joints moving with a game of ultimate frisbee, in preparation for day two…
^ An outdoor disc(o) party after day one!
Day two began with Dr. Petra Koester from the Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO), a part of the Cogsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy, sharing her work on parametric instabilities in direct-drive inertial fusion plasmas, which poses issues for the realisation of inertial fusion energy. Another critical issue for all deuterium-tritium fusion schemes is tritium breeding tech nology, which was the topic of the next deep-dive by Dr. Samuel Murphy from the University of Lancaster who presented a variety of breeder blanket designs and the challenges they face.
A slight “about turn” followed lunch, with Abigail Nuxton at Great British Energy – Nuclear discussing how scientists and innovators may receive funding from HM Government, alongside providing generous advice on how to survive political cycles in the world of fusion. A historic stone’s throw away from fusion, the audience was then treated to Prof. Anton Nikiforov of Ghent University and the University of Antwerp, drawing up the world of restoring cultural heritage artefacts using non-thermal plasmas showing that plasma physicists can transfuse to another industry if desired.
Day three approached, and both speakers focused their talks in on lasers. First, Chris Armstrong from the Central Laser Facility (CLF) explored the characterisation of radiation from high-intensity laser-plasma interactions necessary for the continued improvement of laser-driven radiation sources for fusion and elsewhere. To cap off the talks, Dr. Laura Corner from University of Liverpool shared a comprehensive introduction to lasers (for those of us less photonically inclined) and considered both the drawbacks to current laser systems and the challenges to be overcome for improved lasers for fusion.
As the final of ten fantastic talks wrapped up, the collective mass of attendees gathered at the foothills of the lecture theatre in the National STEM Learning Centre and captured the end of the Frontiers of Fusion talks.
^ On Wednesdays, we take group photos at the end of Frontiers of Fusion
< Roddy warning CDT students about the dangers of craning necks.
With the scent of lunch drawing the crowds into the atrium, it wasn’t long before a voice boomed from the mezzanine, with Prof. Roddy Vann declaring the beginning of the poster event, marking the transition to the Student Conference. The posters presented by the first year students to outline the background and methodology of their projects inspired productive conversations between peers and opened eyes to new avenues of exploration within fusion. Congratulations are due to Divya Tank and Warren Smith from the Universities of York and Durham, for the best and runner-up poster prizes respectively (the former not pictured).
< Roddy and Warren with the ketchup and mustard cordiality!
Thursday saw a mass relocation to the York Plasma Institute and brought about the beginning of talks presented entirely by second, third, and fourth year CDT students, with diverse themes such as inertial confinement, laser technologies, plasma instabilities, diagnostics, tritium, and superconductors. Most students also candidly shed light on their personal journeys through their doctoral studies, providing guidance to and settling the nerves of their greener peers, especially when the path to results is often poorly paved.
^ Football and fusion aren’t too far afield!
To relax the mind and rouse the spirit, there were two activities on the docket before Thursday drew to a close: a well-attended and much-needed punt about nearby to the York Plasma Institute, and; a social event for all 73 attendees at a nearby Spanish restaurant with the perfect balance of food, friends, and that unmistakable Fusion CDT atmosphere.
^A brilliant way to send off the week, while keeping strong for the final day ahead.
As the final day dawned, after the dust settled from the chaos of students checking out of the accommodation, we were treated to the final two sessions of talks themed around structural materials and joining, and plasma-facing components, bringing the total number of talks delivered to 43.
With that, the 16th Frontiers of Fusion and 13th Student Conference wrapped up as an integral event in the calendars of scores of students, marking the end of an intense training programme for the first year CDT students. All presenters, student or otherwise, are to be congratulated on speaking with such great aplomb.
A brief aside: having contributed to the organisation of the Student Conference, managed by a committee comprised of primarily of first year CDT students, it delivered a rare and cherished experience into running a conference. Everything from generating and distributing a timetable and programme to booking catering, a social event, and coordinating poster printing, all for a record number of attendees. Under the master guidance of the second year CDT student chairs of the committee, Charles Edwards and Freddie Daniels, the hard work and efforts returned dividends, with students loving the conference.
As we look ahead to revisiting the ancient city of York for next year’s event, we are grateful to all the speakers and attendees who made the week so eye-opening. Thanks must go to the following for their commitment towards the realisation of fusion: the administrative team — Cecelia Blake-Bain, Ruth Lowman, and Katy Welford; the academic leads — Prof. Jon Graves, Prof. Nigel Woolsey, and Prof. Roddy Vann, and; last but not least, the Student Conference student committee.
It is the flourishing of events such as these that make “30 years away” seem much closer indeed. Until next year!
Written by: Qianyi (Q) Sun (https://www.linkedin.com/in/qianyi-sun/)
Images taken by: Joel Adams (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellucaadams/) and Qianyi (Q) Sun