Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship program, Leila Alston is helping improve the ability to measure critical information for fusion energy. Alston is a rising senior at Hampton University majoring in mathematics with a minor in computer science. At PPPL, she is working on accelerating X-ray diagnostics analysis for the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany. Using machine learning-based sampling techniques, her goal is to train neural networks that can interpret X-rays in real time, helping scientists quickly extract key parameters and improve diagnostic performance. A stellarator is a twisty machine that confines plasma, the fourth state of matter, to harness the fusion process that powers the sun and stars and potentially generate electricity. For #NationalInternDay, Alston says one of the biggest insights she's gained is the value of interdisciplinary research, collaborating with experts across all fields while expanding her programming and machine learning skills. SULI is run by the Office of Science -Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. PPPL is one of 17 DOE national laboratories and is operated by Princeton University. 🎥 by Gabriella Lamboy, PPPL communications intern.

National laboratories have the capabilities to do research that no one else can do and this starts with our people. Meet Nina Morreale, laboratory safety specialist — one of the many Lab members driving PPPL's mission forward. In her role, Morreale supports scientists and technicians by developing chemical hygiene plans and ensuring safe practices around the Laboratory. Safety is a core value of PPPL, and Morreale is a critical part of ensuring everyone is safe as they pursue research in fusion energy and plasma science and technology. "Working at PPPL is something that's very important to me so that I can be a support system for our scientists, our researchers, our technicians so that we can meet the ultimate goal to have efficient energy, using fusion in the safest fashion available," she said. Learn more about her journey and explore more #WeAreTheLab stories. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4ljVGd7

PPPL and Princeton University have launched the Collaborative Research in Plasma Science and Technology (CRPST) program, a new graduate research initiative. The new effort formalizes joint advising between Princeton faculty and PPPL scientists and expands opportunities for students to work within PPPL research groups at least one day per week. CRPST supports projects in fusion energy, plasma science and technology, machine learning, microelectronics, quantum materials and devices, electromanufacturing, computational physics and other areas aligned with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s mission. Program Manager Fatima Ebrahimi notes the partnership expands collaborations between the institutions and brings more early-career scientists into PPPL’s mission-driven research. "Deepening ties with the Princeton main campus is really important," said Ebrahimi. "We have so many mission‑driven projects, and involving early career scientists is essential. These projects also provide students with valuable interdisciplinary exposure.” Story by Gabriella Lamboy, communications intern:➡️ https://bit.ly/4bhcDkT.

Proud to be the Garden State's only national laboratory on #NationalNewJerseyDay. ⚛️ PPPL is one of 17 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories and is managed by Princeton University. We tackle the world's toughest science and technology challenges with plasma, the fourth state of matter. Discover how we're driving U.S. leadership in fusion energy by advancing AI, theory, modeling and diagnostics and revolutionizing the future of science and technology by developing next-generation electronics and advanced manufacturing. ➡️ https://bit.ly/2ZrhMPn

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Genesis Mission, PPPL leading a critical fusion energy research project and is partnering on seven other initiatives with university and industry collaborators — supporting AI innovation in areas ranging from computer chip development and advanced manufacturing to models and platforms to accelerate experimental research and systems performance. Shantenu Jha, head of computational science at the Lab, shares how these new awards support the Lab’s mission to harness fusion energy and lead discovery in plasma science and technology. Project partners include Rice University, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Brookhaven National Lab, Princeton University, Sophelio and more. The Genesis Mission is a historic national initiative led by the DOE, which is building the world's most powerful integrated science discovery platform. Learn more about the recent awards announcement ➡️ https://bit.ly/4x0CgyQ and see how we've been contributing to the Genesis Mission and leading a national conversation on #AI4Fusion ➡️ https://bit.ly/4tsh2HU.

Princeton University faculty members Hantao Ji, Egemen Kolemen, Josh Atkinson and Jürgen Hackl have been awarded grants to lead projects in the Genesis Mission, a nationwide initiative that was announced today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), encompassing 278 projects to harness artificial intelligence for scientific discovery. “The DOE mission and our Princeton researchers’ contributions will showcase the power of the scientific community to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques to advance discoveries that will benefit society,” said Peter Schiffer, Princeton’s dean for research and vice president for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). 🔗 https://lnkd.in/epDf8xEy

Princeton University faculty members Hantao Ji, Egemen Kolemen, Joshua Atkinson and Jürgen Hackl have been awarded grants to lead projects in the Genesis Mission, a nationwide initiative that was announced today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), encompassing 278 projects to harness artificial intelligence for scientific discovery: https://bit.ly/4vO16AF "The DOE mission and our Princeton researchers’ contributions will showcase the power of the scientific community to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques to advance discoveries that will benefit society," said Peter Schiffer, Princeton’s dean for research and vice president for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).

Today marks an important milestone for the Genesis Mission. Following Secretary Wright's announcement at the inaugural Genesis Mission Summit, I'm excited to welcome the first research teams selected through the Genesis Mission’s Request for Applications. The response from the scientific community exceeded our expectations, becoming the largest response to a funding opportunity in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) history. That level of interest reflects the significance of the Genesis Mission. Researchers across the country are ready to rethink how scientific discovery can happen in the age of AI. These teams will work across DOE National Laboratories, universities, industry, and other partner organizations to develop AI-enabled scientific workflows that can accelerate breakthroughs in energy, discovery science, and national security. Beyond funding, the Genesis Mission provides a shared platform for collaboration. Awardees will have access to AI agent frameworks, advanced AI models, open government datasets, and high-performance computing resources that will enable them to rapidly develop, test, and scale new approaches to scientific discovery. This is the beginning of a new national ecosystem for AI-enabled science. I look forward to seeing what these teams accomplish and how their work will help shape the future of American innovation. Read more about today's announcement: https://lnkd.in/eRQnz3DC

The Genesis Mission is a historic national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which is building the world's most powerful integrated science discovery platform. As part of the announcement of Phase I Request for Application awards, PPPL will lead a critical fusion energy research project and partner on seven other initiatives. These awards support the Lab's mission to harness fusion energy and lead discoveries in plasma science and technology. Partners include Rice University, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Brookhaven National Lab, Sophelio, Princeton University and more. Learn more about how PPPL is using AI for fusion and contributing to the #GenesisMission. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4tsh2HU

With ambitions to return to the moon and visit Mars and perhaps other planets, space travelers need powerful and efficient ways to move within 🌎 Earth’s orbit and reach other places within our solar system. On #SpaceExplorationDay, Fatima Ebrahimi, principal research physicist at PPPL, explains how a new type of rocket thruster can harness the power of plasma, the fourth state of matter, for spacecraft propulsion. 🚀 "Electrically charged gas, plasma, makes up 99% of our observable universe," says Ebrahimi. "Stars are made of plasma. The sun is made of plasma, and we can also use plasmas for space propulsion."