NEWS: Dennis Whyte

SPARC, MIT

Validating the physics behind SPARC

This series of papers provides a high level of confidence in the plasma physics and the performance predictions for SPARC. No unexpected impediments or surprises have shown up, and the remaining challenges appear to be manageable. This sets a solid basis for the device’s operation once constructed, according to Martin Greenwald, Deputy Director of MIT PSFC.

MIT News

At home with fusion research

In March, when concerns about the coronavirus forced her to leave MIT, undergraduate Sreya Vangara found herself 450 miles from campus, and needing to reorient her approach to her fusion project for both the spring and summer sessions.

PSFC

Rockin’ the Zoom room

Recently the PSFC's Matt Fulton found himself playing guitar and singing for a new audience, his work colleagues, welcoming them to an end-of-the-week Zoom concert of “pub tunes."

PSFC

MITEI, MIT

"Energy at scale”, engagement as levers of decarbonization

MITEI's 2019 Annual Research Conference emphasized the dire urgency of the climate crisis; the importance of an intersectoral and collaborative approach to decarbonization; and the role of economics and policy in combatting global temperature rise.

MITEI

Dennis Whyte, MIT

The fusion energy dream

American investment would help ensure that the United States becomes the home of a world-changing — and potentially world-saving — technology.

Washington Post

Dennis Whyte, Vinod Khosla, MIT

Vinod Khosla: “Focus on the consequences of success”

On March 6, Khosla described his thoughts on entrepreneurship, personal development, and how to tackle the world’s most challenging problems. Khosla stressed the importance of taking chances, trying new things, and being unafraid of failure. 

MIT News

Dennis Whyte, MIT

VIDEO: PODCAST: Game-changing fusion

Dennis Whyte spoke with Frank O'Sullivan of the MIT Energy Initiative on the history and future of fusion. "MIT’s goal is, like all of this work that we’ve done, to establish the scientific and technical pinnings of fusion be out there in the real world,  says Dennis Whyte.

Tapping the MIT talent pool for the future of fusion

MIT graduate student Caroline Sorensen is using her talent for mechanical engineering to help advance a novel project within the domain of applied science: the commercialization of fusion energy.

School of Engineering

Kevin Woller: From student to mentor

“Once you start learning about plasma it points you towards fusion," says research scientist Kevin Woller, recalling his introduction to ion accelerators.

PSFC

Fusion power plant graphic, MIT

On the right path to fusion energy

New National Academies study recommends a pilot fusion energy program that aligns with MIT's fusion approach and SPARC project.

PSFC

Dennis Whyte, MIT

Dennis Whyte receives FPA Leadership Award

The Fusion Power Associates Board of Directors has awarded its 2018 Leadership Award to Prof. Dennis Whyte, Director of MIT’s PSFC and Head of the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering.

PSFC

Encouraging the next generation of fusion innovators

In memory of MIT alumnus Samuel Ing, his family has established a Memorial Fund to support graduate students at MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) who are involved in the Center’s push to create a smaller, faster and less expensive path to fusion energy.

PSFC

3Q: Zach Hartwig on MIT's big push on fusion

Today, MIT announced plans to work with a newly formed company, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), to realize the promise of fusion as a source of unlimited, safe, carbon-free energy. 

MIT News

Leigh Ann Kesler, MIT

VIDEO: Leigh Ann Kesler: Tracking erosion happening inside fusion devices

NSE PhD student, Leigh Ann Kesler who studies at MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, dates her interest in fusion from an 11th-grade persuasive writing assignment. Inspired in part by her father’s interest in the potential of nuclear energy, she decided to investigate fusion.

ARC

VIDEO: Breakthrough in Fusion?

PSFC Director, Dennis Whyte spoke at the MIT Club of Northern California — Nuclear fusion is the holy grail of energy generation because by fusing two hydrogen atoms together into a single helium atom it releases enormous amounts of energy, yet represents a clean, safe, sustainable and secure form of power.