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The DIII-D National Fusion Facility at General Atomics in San Diego is starting up after undergoing eight months of upgrades that have equipped it with new and improved plasma control and diagnostic systems. These upgrades, which are expected to support experiments performed at ITER, include a range of new diagnostic instruments as well as enhancements to the way that the plasma is heated. Engineers have also installed a "shape and volume rise" divertor, which consists of a series of modular divertor configurations that the DIII-D will now test when experiments start up later this month. The new divertor will allow plasma shapes to be studied that were not possible with DIII-D's previous divertor geometry.

Read more about the upgrades at DIII-D and .

The French tokamak WEST, located at the Institute for Magnetic Fusion Research (IRFM)/French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), has achieved record results.

WEST's latest campaign, which started in mid-January and ended on 26 April 2024, set a new plasma duration record of 6 minutes and 4 seconds, with an injected energy of 1.15 GJ, along with a steady-state central electron temperature of 4 keV (50 million degrees Celsius), and an electron density twice that of discharges obtained in the tokamak's previous configuration, Tore Supra.

Furthermore, the campaign explored the "X-Point radiation" plasma scenario leading to the achievement of one-minute plasmas with low electron temperature (Te < 5 eV) in the divertor, in turn improving the lifespan of the plasma-facing components by allowing for a better distribution of heat fluxes. In addition, several new diagnostics were successfully deployed, providing new measurements to characterize core and edge plasma. New records for power injection systems were also achieved, with 5.8 MW injected by the lower hybrid heating and current drive system and over 4 MW by the ion cyclotron resonance heating system. Lastly, WEST surpassed the milestone of 10,000 plasmas since the first WEST plasma was achieved in December 2016.

The tokamak is now in a shutdown period for maintenance and the installation of new systems. The next experimental campaign will commence in autumn 2024.

Read more about the campaign's achievements . A French version is available .

Sven Korving, a PhD student researching nuclear fusion at the Eindhoven University of Technology in collaboration with the ITER Science Division, had his publications selected not once, but twice for the Editor's Pick of the journal Physics of Plasmas. The journal called the research "noteworthy, novel, timely, interesting, and important." In his latest paper, dated this month, Korving predicts the transport of impurities in plasmas where instabilities are suppressed by external 3D magnetic fields. His research stands out for the contrast with papers that focus on isolating a single phenomenon, while he develops models to simultaneously and consistently simulate multiple phenomena, interconnected and coupled with each other.

The Eindhoven University of Technology's Department of Applied Physics and Science Education celebrated his achievements in a LinkedIn post, . More information on Sven's research can be found .

Korving, S. Q., Huijsmans, G. T. A., Park, J.-S., & Loarte, A. (2023, April 5). Development of the neutral model in the nonlinear MHD Code JOREK: Application to E × B drifts in ITER PFPO-1 plasmas. AIP Publishing.

Korving, S. Q., Mitterauer, V., Huijsmans, G. T. A., Loarte, A., & Hoelzl, M. (2024b, May 8). Simulation of neoclassical heavy impurity transport in ASDEX Upgrade with applied 3D magnetic fields using the nonlinear MHD code JOREK. AIP Publishing.

--Three dimensional image of the tungsten density at the plasma edge of ASDEX Upgrade modelled by the JOREK code when 3D magnetic fields are applied for ELM control, as foreseen in ITER.

EUROfusion has opened applications for its 2025 Engineering Grants, funding post-Master's engineering projects for two years starting in 2025. Twenty outstanding early-career engineers will receive a grant contributing to their salary, research, and training activities.

The program seeks to support the education and training of a new generation of fusion engineers in alignment with the European Research Roadmap to the Realisation of Fusion Energy.

Eligibility:

- Engineers of all nationalities in possession of a Master's (MSc) degree in Engineering OR with proven multi-year engineering work experience and haven completed their Master's degree in a STEM subject in the six years preceding the application deadline.

- The proposed engineering research topic falls into one of the competency areas defined in Annex 5 of the application documents.

- The candidate must be employed by a EUROfusion Consortium member or one of their Affiliated Entities during the grant period. Interested candidates should jointly prepare their application with an institute(s) affiliated with EUROfusion, who will submit the application and offer to employ the candidate for the proposed duration of the project.

The application deadline is 21 June 2024. See further details about the program and how to apply .

The European Domestic Agency for ITER, Fusion for Energy (F4E), has opened a fusion Traineeship Scheme, with opportunities in Barcelona (Spain), at ITER (France), and in Garching (Germany).

Apply by Monday 10 June for positions beginning in October 2024. Fusion for Energy is looking for profiles to match its needs in fusion engineering and physics, project and contract management, market intelligence, and administration. It offers a supportive work environment, competitive benefits, and opportunities for professional development.

Traineeships are open to candidates with European or Ukrainian nationality who have a university degree (at least three years) and a good knowledge of English (minimum B2).

See a list of available opportunities . See all information on how to apply .

The G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment was held in Turin, Italy, from 28 to 30 April 2024 to identify "coherent, complementary and interconnected actions" to address the ongoing climate, energy and environmental crisis.

The promotion of fusion energy figured in the list of shared commitments published by the Energy Ministers in a . "We recognise that with future breakthroughs in fusion energy technology, [fusion energy] has the potential to provide a lasting solution to the global challenges of climate change and energy security in the future."

The Ministers commit to promoting international collaboration to accelerate the development and demonstration of fusion plants. They also state their intention to establish a G7 Working Group of Fusion Energy to "share best practices and explore areas of mutual cooperation" with the aim of strengthening R&D cooperation, and to form a "G7 exchange" for the promotion of consistent approaches to fusion regulation.

You can read the 35-page joint communiqué . (The paragraph on fusion energy is on page 13.)

As activity and investment in fusion swells, attention is turning to ensuring that a skilled workforce of fusion scientists, engineers, and technicians is trained and ready. National initiatives to expand training opportunities are multiplying as governments assess workforce development as critical to the development of a fusion industry. Universities are reporting growing interest in Master's and doctoral programs.

For students in the early stages of their journey, summer can be a great time to explore choices and to network. Below is a list of opportunities in English where applications are still open, listed by application deadline.

13th ITER International School
Nagoya, Japan, 9-13 December 2024
Pre-registration opens in May

JT-60SA International Fusion School
Naka, Japan, 26 August-6 September 2024
Apply by 24 May 2024

PlasmaPy
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA, 29 July-1 August 2024
Apply by 24 May 2024

IPP Summer University for Plasma Physics and Fusion Research
Greifswald, Germany, 16-20 September 2024
Apply by 31 May 2024

PlasmaSurf 2024
Lisbon, Portugal, 14-20 July 2024
Apply by 31 May 2024

11th International Workshop & Summer School on Plasma Physics
Kiten, Bulgaria, 24-30 June 2024
Apply by 1 June 2024

SUMTRAIC 2024
Prague, Czech Republic, 26 August-6 September 2024
Apply by 9 June 2024

Culham Plasma Physics Summer School
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, 15-25 July 2024
Apply by 28 June 2024

Training opportunities are kept up to date in the calendar at the top of this page of the ITER website.

On Tuesday 18 June 2024, the London Science Museum will host FUSION24, an event for anyone who wants to learn more about the opportunities that this emerging industry offers businesses, communities and the planet.

What will the power plants of the future look like? How do we fund fusion? What are we learning from other industries? How can we capitalize on a non-restrictive regulatory environment? How can we build on the current momentum? Sessions will cover everything from the solutions that a future with fusion will offer, to the skills required for success and the new markets that we will discover on the way. (See a list of planned sessions .)

The event is free of charge. See the  to register to attend in person (space limited) or on line.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be hosting the Third Technical Meeting on Plasma Disruptions and their Mitigation at ITER Headquarters from 3 to 6 September 2024.

The event aims to serve as a forum to help coordinate experimental, theoretical and modelling work in the field of plasma disruptions with special emphasis on developing a solid basis for possible mitigation strategies in ITER and next-generation fusion devices. Participation is aimed at junior and senior scientific fusion project leaders, plasma physicists including theoreticians and experimentalists, and experts (researchers and engineers) in the field of plasma disruptions.

The deadline for abstract submission is 25 May 2024. See all information .

The European Domestic Agency Fusion for Energy (F4E) is calling for fusion technology transfer demonstrator proposals before 30 July 2024. 

Open to European companies and organizations, the call aims to support projects that propose to take fusion breakthroughs into new markets. Proposals will be evaluated on the feasibility of the demonstrator project, its innovation potential, and socio-economic impact.

Proposals should describe the further use or adaptation of a technology or skill developed under F4E activities into a new product or service in non-fusion applications. The Call invites entities from the fusion sector (F4E's Industrial Partners) and the non-fusion sector to submit proposals.

The selected project will be funded with EUR 50,000. See for a description of the Call and to apply.

The 13th ITER International School will be held from 9 to 13 December 2024 in Nagoya hosted by National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), Japan. The theme this year is "Magnetic Fusion Diagnostics and Data Science."

Diagnostics are key to the achievement of ITER fusion power demonstration goals and they require the application of a wide range of techniques. But diagnostics are not enough to ensure ITER's success; only through advanced analysis of the data they provide will it be possible to guide the experiments towards their fusion power goals. It is timely to address these multidisciplinary areas in the ITER school.

Pre-registration will open in early May. See all information . To advertise the School in your institute, download a poster _Do_ITER_internationalSchool_2024_fa-compressed.pdf_DoX_here_Dx_.

The annual PhD Event organized by the European Fusion Education Network, FuseNet, will take place this year at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, from 3 to 5 September.

Meet and greet fellow fusion researchers from Europe and expand your network. The event will feature high-profile keynote speakers, a top-notch scientific program and the much anticipate PechaKucha contest, where students present their research in 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide.

Registration is open through 15 June 2024. See more information at .

In the sixth installment of ITER Japan's manga series on the project, our hero Taiyô Tenno joins veteran staff member Mirai Mitsuhashi on a visit to the QST* R&D facility for the ITER divertor. Researchers there have developed a full-scale prototype for the outer vertical target, one of components of the divertor that will have to withstand the most intense heat load.

By going back in time, Mirai reviews the incredible challenge that was posed to industry and the years of development  that culminated in the successful high heat flux testing of the full-scale prototype. 

Travel along with Mirai and Taiyô by downloading Volume 6 of "ITER: A Small Sun on Earth" (divertor) from the  or directly from the ITER Publications gallery (comics).

*QST = Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology 

Applications are open for the EUROfusion Bernard Bigot Researcher Grants that fund individual postdoctoral research projects for two years starting in 2025.

Researchers and engineers of all nationalities in possession of a doctoral degree (PhD) who have completed the PhD and defended their thesis in the two years preceding the application deadline are eligible. Candidates must be employed by a EUROfusion Consortium member or one of their Affiliated Entities during the grant period. Interested candidates should jointly prepare their application with an institute(s) affiliated with EUROfusion, who submits the application and offers to employ the candidate for the proposed duration of the project.

The grant will contribute to the salaries and research and training activities of up to 10 outstanding early career researchers. The application deadline is 6 May 2024. For details, or to join the information session planned on 11 April 2024 at 14:00 CET, see the .

In just the past few weeks, these in-depth studies and reports have been published on fusion energy and fusion energy acceleration. 

Analysis on a strategic public-private partnership approach to foster innovation in fusion energy is a report commissioned by the European Union that provides analysis and recommendations for the European Commission on the establishment of a public-private partnership approach to support industrial innovation in fusion. The 128-page report can be downloaded at .

As part of its Technical Documents series (TECDOCs), the International Atomic Energy Agency has just published Considerations of Technology Readiness Levels for Fusion Technology Components (IAEA-TECDOC-2047, 91 pages) and Plasma Physics and Technology Aspects of the Deuterium—Tritium Fuel Cycle for Fusion Energy (IAEA-TECDOC-2049, 73 pages). Both reports can be downloaded or ordered in print form from . 

-- Photo of KSTAR (© KFE)

The ITER Organization has opened its 2024 internship program with the publication of 60 offers on the ITER website. These opportunities are geared toward undergraduate and postgraduate students, with a broad array of topics across scientific, technical and support departments. Applicants must hold a passport from one of the countries participating in the ITER Project (the People's Republic of China, the European Union, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA).

See this page to apply. The deadline for students to submit their application is 17 March 2024. Please note that additional internship opportunities will be launched in May 2024.

2024 IEEE Fusion Technology Awards will be presented during the 31th Symposium on Fusion Engineering (SOFE 2025, Boston) to individuals who have distinguished themselves through innovation in any fusion approach that has shown significant promise or progress in the design of reactors or in the understanding of fusion plasmas. The awards each consist of a USD 3,000 cash prize, a plaque, and an invited talk at SOFE 2025.

The nomination package—consisting of a letter describing the technical contributions on which the nomination is recommended and a current resume of the candidate—should be sent before 11 March to the Fusion Technology Committee Awards Chair, Dr. Carl Pawley (drcpawley@ieee.org). Other supporting endorsements are encouraged. Equal consideration will be given to innovation in all fusion approaches and outstanding leadership in the fusion community.

For more detailed information on eligibility, basis for judging, the nomination process or a list of past award recipients, please visit the and go to the "Fusion Technology Awards" section.

--The IEEE Nuclear Plasma Science Society (NPSS) Fusion Technology Standing Committee

There was a time in fusion history when one single man could be credited with inspiring the best part of a machine's design. French physicist Paul-Henri Rebut was this kind of a man. In the early 1970s, a little more than a decade after entering fusion research at France's Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), he was instrumental in building , for Tokamak de Fontenay-aux-Roses, a Paris suburb where CEA was then located. For his colleagues, however, TFR meant Tokamak Façon Rebut, which can be understood as "Tokamak à la Rebut"...

Operational in 1973, TFR was an ambitious and powerful machine that played a key role in exploring the physics and establishing the technology that made possible the construction of the "giants of the 1970s,"—the European JET, the American TFTR, the Japanese JT-60 and the Soviet T-15.

The experience accumulated at TFR led to the first international cooperation in constructing a fusion machine, the European JET whose design, quite naturally, was entrusted to Rebut and his team. Last week, as the fusion community celebrated JET's accomplishments at the Culham Campus (UK), the 89-year-old physicist, introduced as "the inventor and designer" of the iconic machine, was greeted by a standing ovation. It is under Rebut's stewardship that JET produced the first-ever deuterium-tritium plasmas, a campaign that culminated in a historical 16 MW of peak fusion power. Rebut later piloted the ITER design activities (1992-1994), and well into the 2000s he was a familiar figure at ITER Headquarters providing advice and suggestions to optimize the ITER design.

Photo: The JET project team in 1977: Paul-Henri Rebut (centre) and colleagues Alan Gibson (UK), Giulio Celentano (Italy), Ettore Salpietro (Italy), John Last (UK), Barry Green (Australia), Peter Noll (Germany), Jean-Pierre Poffé (Belgium), Ingevar Selin (Sweden), and Dieter Eckhart (Germany). © EFDA

Read the full article on Rebut's standing ovation during JET's celebration day .

The ITER Organization has opened its 2024 internship program with the publication of 60 offers on the ITER website. These opportunities are geared toward undergraduate and postgraduate students, with a broad array of topics across scientific, technical and support departments. Applicants must hold a passport from one of the countries participating in the ITER Project (the People's Republic of China, the European Union, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA).

See this page to apply. The deadline for students to submit their application is 17 March 2024. Please note that additional internship opportunities will be launched in May 2024.

The third edition of the Tritium School will take place in Marseille, France, from 18 to 22 March 2024. Organized by the TITANS Project, which strives to improve tritium management and knowledge to meet the growing demand for nuclear energy, it is organized around four days of invited lectures and contributed talks, and a fifth day comprising a visit to the ITER site.

The young generation of researchers working in fusion and fission research and development is encouraged to participate.

Topics for discussion will include tritium management, inventory and control; waste; radiotoxicity/ecotoxicity; epidemiology of tritium; and tritium dosimetry.

For all information, and to register, see . The School will be conducted in English.