Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

Lab Director Steven Cowley will be among the global leaders discussing the future of #fusion energy ⚛️ this week at the World Fusion Energy Group ministerial meeting in Italy. Co-chaired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, the event brings together governments, scientists, executives and investors to join forces in paving the way for this promising technology to provide the abundant low carbon energy ⚡ the world needs to meet its growing development needs.

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, the intersection of physics ⚛️ and art 🎨 offers opportunities for innovation and communication. Join physicist Kitty Y.M. Yeung on Monday, Nov. 4 for our latest Colloquium technical talk where she will explore how scientific principles can revolutionize traditional industries, fostering a new era of eco-friendly and customized fashion. Attend virtually: https://bit.ly/48y9URp

This Native American Heritage Month, we recognize and celebrate the contributions and resilience of Native and Indigenous peoples and Tribal Nations. We are proud to have the Office of Indian Energy | U.S. Department of Energy at the helm as we work to build a brighter future.

The Lab has achieved a major milestone with the completion of the intricate process of building the first quadrant of the magnet 🧲 at the heart of the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U), our primary fusion experiment. The Laboratory is assembling two high-current magnets to create the toroidal field-ohmic heating coil (TF-OH) bundle. The magnets make up the core of the NSTX-U, similar to the core of an 🍎 apple. They are designed to produce the highest magnetic field strength of any large spherical torus. See how we're baking the perfect pie 🥧, one piece at a time. ➡️ https://bit.ly/40nRCQL

Boil, boil, toil and trouble ... 🎃. No, this #Halloween we aren't stirring up a witch's brew. It's liquid metal and here at the Lab, researchers are studying how it can draw away excess heat during a #fusion reaction and help protect the components that face the plasma. Already a world leader in research on using liquid metals 💧 in fusion vessels, PPPL hopes to expand its work in this area by opening the Lithium Experiment Application Platform (LEAP), an experimental space within PPPL that would be specifically designed to work with larger volumes of liquid lithium. Learn more about our work with liquid metals. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hkD4Y8

Congratulations 🎉 to William Tang on receiving the Sidney Fernbach Memorial Award for his pioneering contributions in fusion energy research ⚛️ accelerated by high-performance computing and deep learning. The Sidney Fernbach Memorial Award, one of the IEEE Computer Society’s highest achievements, recognizes outstanding contributions in the application of high-performance computers using innovative approaches, in honor of the late Sidney Fernbach, one of the most influential scientists affecting the design of high-performance computers. Tang is a principal research physicist and lecturer with the rank of Professor in Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. Learn more about his achievement. 👉 https://bit.ly/48qbhBH

With the goal of accelerating discoveries across areas ranging from clean energy ⚡ to advanced microelectronics 💻 and fundamental scientific investigations ⚛️, a task force comprised of leaders from Princeton University and the Laboratory has issued a report outlining activities to bolster collaborations between the two institutions. “The Lab and University already work together in complementary and powerful ways thanks to leaders like Emily Carter and others,” said Steve Cowley, Laboratory director and co-chair of the Task Force. “By creating more opportunities for collaboration, we open the door to even greater innovations.” PPPL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory managed by Princeton. The Laboratory collaborates with Princeton Research and Princeton Innovation.

As a senior project manager, Stephen Langish has helped steer the course of some of the most notable projects at the Lab. 🧭 From the groundbreaking Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) to the National Spherical Torus Experiment, an earlier incarnation of the Lab's main fusion energy experiment, he's leveraged his expertise to advance the science and engineering of fusion energy. In our latest #IAmTheLab feature, learn more about Langish and his path from the US Navy to PPPL, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory managed by Princeton University, and how he's now leading a project that ushers in a new era for the Laboratory 🏗️ — the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a sustainable building that will provide ultramodern laboratory and office spaces in the first new building at PPPL in nearly five decades. ➡️ https://bit.ly/3YDpsQA

Today is National Mentor Day, and I want to take a moment to recognize an incredible mentor who has made a lasting impact on my journey: Jessica Guttenfelder. 💡 I had the privilege of meeting Jessica during my internship at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) this summer. From day one, she has been a constant guide, sharing her expertise and offering invaluable support in my independent research. Jessica’s role as the Team Lead of the Heating Systems - Technical Operations team within PPPL's Engineering Department is inspiring. She’s been at PPPL for 9 years and has led groundbreaking work on the Neutral Beam Injection system, critical for the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX-U). Beyond her technical expertise, Jessica is a dedicated advocate for women in STEM. She co-founded the Women in Engineering (WiE) employee resource group at PPPL and served as its co-chair for three years, helping to foster mentorship and leadership pathways for women in engineering. Thank you, Jessica Guttenfelder for all that you do and for being such an incredible role model. Here’s to many more years of learning and growing under your guidance! 🙌 #NationalMentorDay #Thankful #Mentorship #STEM #WomenInSTEM #PPPL #FusionEnergy #Engineering

Happy #NationalPumpkinDay from the "pumpkin patch" 🎃 here at the Lab. These giant orange tanks are part of the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U), our primary fusion experiment. The tanks hold heavy sulfur hexafluoride insulating gas that protects NSTX-U's equipment. NSTX-U is a spherical tokamak, meaning it's shaped like a cored apple 🍎, rather than the doughnut-like shape of conventional tokamaks. The spherical tokamak idea originated at PPPL, and it is the largest such device in the U.S. Its compact design makes it an ideal candidate to serve as the model for a fusion pilot plant followed by a commercial fusion reactor. 👉 https://bit.ly/3u07LxO