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2022 NSE Spotlights

Four students on a curved walkway indoors against an orange backdrop, MIT

The task of magnetic classification suddenly looks easier

MIT undergraduate researchers, Helena Merker, Harry Heiberger, and Linh Nguyen and PhD student, Tongtong Liu, exploit machine learning techniques to determine the magnetic structure of materials.

	Spotlight: Probing plasma Investigating the solar wind flowing past Earth, MIT physicist and professor of nuclear science and engineering, Ian Hutchinson finds solitary waves that might arise within fusion devices.
	Pursuing a practical approach to research Winner of a prestigious award from the American Nuclear Society, Koroush Shirvan has pursued avenues to lower the costs of nuclear energy.
	Simulating neutron behavior in nuclear reactors Amelia Trainer’s work is fundamental to understanding how nuclear reactors operate. A passion for computer modeling and poetry have stood her in good stead through her research career.
	High energy and hungry for the hardest problems Fusion physics pioneer and MIT climate change leader Anne White hopes to help “save the world with nuclear”
	Solving a long-confounding mystery in heat transfer Hailing from a small town in Italy, Matteo Bucci is determined to address some of the unknowns plaguing fundamental science.
	Seeking a way to better stabilize the fusion environment In a residency supported by the Department of Energy, the NSE PhD candidate, Evan Leppink, will explore the high-field side of the DIII-D tokamak.
	In service to nuclear energy From Rickover to advanced reactors, emeritus professor Neil Todreas pursues a lifelong commitment to carbon-free electricity.
	Eighty-six, and still looking ahead Emeritus professor Sidney Yip reflects on a life in nuclear science and materials engineering, while planning his next act.
	Mining valuable insights from diamonds A passion to understand natural science phenomena ignited Changhao Li’s love of quantum physics.
	Finding her way to fusion Zoe Fisher’s undergraduate research journey leads to a role working on the SPARC tokamak
	Leveraging science and technology against the world’s top problems From nuclear proliferation to climate change, Richard K. Lester taps research talent to map a path toward a sustainable planet
	Building technological tools for nuclear disarmament Associate Professor Areg Danagoulian credits mentorship with helping him establish a path through nuclear physics.
	Mapping the depths of plasma physics In his new lab where he will study how plasma behaves in the universe, assistant professor of nuclear science and engineering Jack Hare draws inspiration from spelunking.
	Fast-tracking the search for energy-efficient materials Doctoral candidate Nina Andrejević combines spectroscopy and machine learning techniques to identify novel and valuable properties in matter
	Helping make fusion a reality Fusion has great potential as a carbon-free energy source but plasma turbulence presents a problem. Rachel Bielajew is taking on that challenge and helping make a better world—through science and community action.
	Electrochemistry, from batteries to brains Professor Bilge Yildiz finds patterns in the behavior of ions across applications
	Crossing disciplines, adding fresh eyes to nuclear engineering Graduate student, Limiao Zhang, sees surprising connections between the behavior of cars and bubbles.
	Investigating materials for nuclear power A longstanding interest in radiation’s effects on metals has drawn Michael Short into new areas such as nuclear security and microreactors.
	Waging a two-pronged campaign against climate change With a nuclear energy startup and cost-modeling tool, PhD student Robbie Stewart aims to speed construction of new plants for decarbonizing the economy
	The boiling crisis — and how to avoid it PhD student Madhumitha Ravichandran identifies the three main factors that trigger the boiling crisis through machine learning models
	Leading with nuclear innovation MIT alumna, Ashley Finan, aims to put US in the forefront of advanced nuclear energy technologies that could prove pivotal in the clean energy transition
	Understanding imperfections in fusion magnets MIT Energy Fellow Richard Ibekwe finds flaws in high-temperature superconducting tapes, so they can be measured, fixed or embraced
	A practical path toward discovery Doctoral student, Arunkumar Seshadri leverages radiation and other tools as he seeks enhanced materials for nuclear reactors