Abstract

For nearly a century, recreating the fundamental energy source of the universe, nuclear fusion, has stood as the ultimate grand challenge in physics. Today, as fusion transitions from plasma physics to applied engineering, it presents unprecedented opportunities for mechanical engineers. This seminar deconstructs the extreme engineering required to confine, sustain, and extract energy from a burning plasma "star" on Earth. The discussion will move beyond basic plasma physics to introduce the severe thermo-mechanical, fluid, and materials challenges inherent in fusion reactor design and operation. Key focus areas will include managing extraordinary, localized heat fluxes, the magnetohydrodynamics of plasma containment, and the complex thermal-hydraulics behind the tritium breeding cycle. By examining the intersection of extreme-environment materials, advanced thermal management, and complex system design, this talk will highlight how the next generation of mechanical engineers can solve the critical bottlenecks currently standing between experimental fusion and scalable, clean baseload electricity.

Biography

Ambrogio Fasoli is a professor of Physics at EPFL, of which was the Provost until recently. He is member of the Board of Directors of the FusionNow Association. Previously, he served as Program Manager and Chair of EUROfusion. A Fellow of the American Physical Society, of Accademia dei Lincei, Academia Europea and Swiss Academy of Arts and Sciences, he studied at the University of Milan and EPFL. After conducting experiments on JET, he became a professor at MIT. He was chief editor of Nuclear Fusion in 2014-2020, and from 2015 to 2024 the director of the Swiss Plasma Center. At present he is a member of the Governing Board of Fusion for Energy, the EU organisation managing Europe’s contribution to ITER, and of the Board of Governors of FusionNow, the Industry-Led Association for Fusion Energy in Europe.