Speaker: Dr. Troy Carter, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Abstract: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a long and storied history of contributions to fusion research spanning plasma physics, fusion materials, and fusion enabling technologies. I will highlight ORNL’s capabilities and recent contributions across the fusion energy landscape, including the development of facilities (e.g. the Materials Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX)) and science and technology advances (e.g. developing exhaust solutions for future fusion devices, enabling record performance on Wendelstein 7-X through pellet fueling and progress on assessing blanket concepts including both modeling and experiments). Partnerships are essential on our path to commercialize fusion energy: I will also discuss how ORNL is working to build partnerships with the private sector, universities, state and local government and regional organizations with the goal of addressing science and technology gaps, building the needed fusion workforce and stimulating regional supply chain development.