Fusion Energy Education at the University of York

Fusion Energy Education at the University of York

Kieran Gibson

Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD UK

Fusion Energy MSc at the University of York

• First Masters course focussing on Fusion Energy in the UK

• One year course which addresses both Inertial and Magnetic Fusion Energy

• First intake of 12 students in October 2009

Course structure (1)



Lecture based modules:

• Introduction to Plasma Physics: 18 lectures • Fusion (IFE): 18 lectures • Plasma diagnostic techniques: 18 lectures• Fusion Technology: 18 lectures• Fusion (MFE): 18 lectures• A range of optional additional modules (for e.g. Astrophysical Plasmas, Fluid Dynamics...)


Laboratory based modules:

•Fusion laboratory: computational and experimental (IFE and MFE):

• Computational lab with supporting lectures in numerical techniques, programming example classes and computation lab project: e.g. Students write a PIC code to study the two-stream instability and Landau damping

• IFE Lab considers archived data from direct drive IFE experiments

• MFE lab considers analysis techniques from a range of tokamak diagnostics, using data from MAST as an example


Project module:•Extended project work (60 credits ~one third of course) undertaken on theoretical, modelling or experimental topic. Make use of local experimental and computational facilities or linked directly to research programme at national labs. Examples include characterising drift waves on linear plasma device (with supporting theory/modelling project), development of Doppler spectroscopy for JET NBI system, spectroscopic determination of electron temperature in recombining plasmas ..)

Students benefit from investment in infrastructure

•Students are based at a dedicated Fusion Learning Studio

•Extensive videoconferencing infrastructure allows students to benefit from connections with the wider fusion community (for e.g. Remote attendance at Seminars and meetings at national labs).

•Each student provided with individual laptops to facilitate learning

•“Remote tokamak control room” at York provides access to data and participation in experiments on MAST for project work

Selected features of the course

•Elements of the course can be "broadcast" to other interested partners (for example, Fusion (MFE) was delivered to students and post-docs at Culham Laboratory)

•“Frontiers of Fusion” workshop gives students the opportunity to attend a week long series of seminars by leading fusion experts, but also the opportunity to explore the “interfaces” of fusion with other disciplines

•Strong links with national labs (beyond remote participation and project work, for e.g., Guest lecturers on Fusion Technology module).

Fusion Energy MSc at the University of York

• Further information can be found at:

www.york.ac.uk/physics/fusion

Doctoral Training Network in Fusion Science and Technology


• In October 2009 a new Fusion Doctoral Training Network was launched

•A collaborative network of four universities led by York (other partners are Durham, Liverpool, Manchester)

•Initial cohorts of 8 PhD students per year for 2 years

•Emphasis is on collaborative projects with students gaining added breadth to their studies by emphasising interdisciplinary nature of fusion

Doctoral Training Network partners

University of York:

The lead instituteDr Ben Dudson: MFE-Plasma simulation and experimentDr Kieran Gibson: MFE-Diagnostics, NTMs and edge physics Dr Roddy Vann: MFE-Fast particles and EBW emissionProf Howard Wilson (Director): MFE- Plasma theoryDr John Pasley: IFE- Fast ignitionDr Nigel Woolsey: IFE - Lab astrophysicsProf Greg Tallents: IFE -Opacity studies

University of Durham:

Prof Ray Sharples: Advanced instrumentation, space instrumentation (Director: Centre for Advanced Instrumentation)Prof Damian Hampshire: Superconducting strand

University of Liverpool:

Prof James Bradley: technological plasmas; plasma-surface interaction; probe analysisDr Dmitri Samsonov: dusty plasma experiments

University of Manchester:

Dr Paul Mummery: MaterialsMaterials damage characterisation, including nuclear

Student experience (1)

•Students register for a 3 year PhD programme at one of the network universities

•In the first part of their PhD studies they undertake the taught elements of the York Fusion Energy MSc as part of their initial training


Team building

Poster presentations

Oral presentation

Dedicated Skills Training:Additional skills training is provided by host universities

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept

Modules (~10 credits) All students at York Students at their host institutes

Plasma Physics for FusionFusion (IFE)Plasma diagnosticsFusion technologyFusion (MFE)Comp lab Lectures/skills Practical labsExperiment labFrontiers/Interfaces workshopResearch: background readingFull-time research

Optional modules (~10 credits)High performance computingAdvanced Plasma PhysicsStatistical methods in expt phys

IFE MFE


•Students working on interlinked, interdisciplinary projects are encouraged to collaborate and discuss their research programmes

• After the end of the initial training period they return to their host universities to conduct their research

•The cohort remains in regular contact through shared videoconferencing, through occasional short courses and through the annual “Frontiers” workshop

•Students also get additional training in transferrable skills (e.g. Interacting with press and other media)

•All students benefit from strong links with National Labs and much of their research will be hosted at Culham, Central laser Facility etc.

PhD Projects 2009 entry

University of York:

Modelling of RMP ELM control on MAST and JETNeutronics calculations for IFE reactorsNeoclassical tearing modes in MASTOpacity measurements for IFE


Triggering diagnostics using FPGAs on MAST


RFA probe measurements of ion temperature on MASTDeveloping dust diagnostics for MFE


SiC composites in extreme environments

University of York:

Modelling of RMP ELM control on MAST and JETNeutronics calculations for IFE reactorsNeoclassical tearing modes in MASTOpacity measurements for IFE


Triggering diagnostics using FPGAs on MAST


RFA probe measurements of ion temperature on MASTDeveloping dust diagnostics for MFE


SiC composites in extreme environments


•Modelling tokamak plasma stability with high performance computers

•Measurements of the evolution of plasma temperature and density in the pedestal of MAST and JET tokamaks

•Radiation hydrodynamics for re-entrant cone guided Fast Ignition Fusion

•Measurements and modelling of plasma opacity with relevance to IFE

•Properties of steels in extreme fusion conditions

•Advanced spectroscopic instrumentation for diagnosing plasma flow

•Negative ion diagnostics for plasma applications in industry and fusion

•Study of thin film deposition technology for fusion applications

•Modelling of electron Bernstein modes in spherical tokamaks



• Further details:

www.york.ac.uk/physics/fusion-dtn

Summary

• The Plasma and Fusion Group at York have initiated two major Fusion Education programmes

•A Masters programme in Fusion Energy provides students with a strong background of the two major approaches to fusion (MFE and IFE)

• The Doctoral Training Network in Fusion Science and Technology provides a framework of training and education to support student PhD studies whilst emphasising the inter-disciplinary nature of fusion energy research

• Both of these programmes benefit from our strong research links with UK national laboratories (Culham and RAL) as well as our international research collaborators

– we look forward to exploring fusion education collaborative opportunities

Documents

Fusion Energy Education at the University of York