At the beginning of last semester, Project Plasma had the opportunity to attend and present at Here Comes the Sun, a fusion introduction and networking event hosted by the Applied Nuclear & Fusion Science (ANFS) group at the University of Sheffield. The event brought together students, researchers, and industry representatives from six different organisations for an afternoon dedicated to the future of clean energy.
Representing Project Plasma, members George Viant, Joseph Whitehurst, and Kelly Jones took to the stage to introduce our team and share our journey so far. We discussed:
- How the team was formed and who the team is today.
- Why we chose to pursue an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusor.
- The systems of our fusor, and our progress so far.
- Our end goals: deuterium-deuterium fusion and neutron production!
As a relatively new project, it was incredibly rewarding to showcase how much we’ve accomplished in such a short window. We also enjoyed listening to a range of speakers across academia and industry. Highlights included an introduction to fusion from Sophie Barwick (ANFS), an overview of fusion research across UK universities from Russell Goodall, and insight into manufacturing challenges from representatives of the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The event concluded with discussion around fusion communication and outreach through the RADNUC Podcast.
It was inspiring to see how student-led projects, university research and national laboratories all contribute to the fusion sector. The panel discussion that followed sparked thoughtful questions and conversations about the future of fusion and the skills needed to make it a reality.
Lastly, we want to thank ANFS for organising such an organised and thoughtful event and for giving us the platform to share Project Plasma with a wider audience. Events such as these highlight the importance of collaboration and community within the fusion sector.
