CASPER Seminar Series Presents - Dr. James W. Van Dam - "The U.S. Fusion Energy Sciences Program"
| Date | January 20, 2016 |
| Time | 2:00 - 3:00 pm |
| Location | BRIC Room 3160 |
| Description | Dr. James W. Van Dam Research Division Director, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy www.science.energy.gov/fes/ Title: The U.S. Fusion Energy Sciences Program Abstract: Plasma, the so-called fourth state of matter, is pervasive throughout the universe, with many diverse scientific manifestations. The U.S. Department of Energy supports plasma science research ranging from low-temperature plasmas, high energy density plasmas, and warm dense matter, to solar, space, and astrophysical plasmas. A large research effort is also devoted to studying how high-temperature plasmas can be confined by magnetic fields in the laboratory--ultimately for the production of fusion energy. The ITER experimental facility, to be operated as an international project by a consortium of international member countries representing more than 50% of the world’s population, will push research into the frontier regime of “burning plasmas,” which are self-heated and self-sustaining. This talk will explain what fusion is, describe how the U.S. fusion energy sciences program operates, and point to some career opportunities. Bio: Dr. Van Dam received his doctorate in plasma physics from UCLA, and he was a Visiting Member for the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton from 1979-1980. He was a research scientist for the Institute for Fusion Studies at the University of Texas at Austin from 1980-2011, and was the director from 2003-2011. Dr. Van Dam was the director of the U.S. Burning Plasma Organization at the U.S. Department of Energy from 2007-2011. He was also the U.S. Chief Scientist for the ITER Project from 2007-2011. For more information, contact Sherri Honza at 254-710-1271 Download the flyer |
| Publisher | Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics & Engineering Research (CASPER) |
| vCal | Download this event |