Pia Valdivia
Question
In less than 200 words, what main research questions are you working on? Please make sure to first include a brief context and background to your research, articulate your question(s) and conclude with why you think it’s important to study the them (i.e., the potential broader impacts).
Answer
Fusion energy powers the Sun and all other stars. Light elements like hydrogen isotopes fuse together to form helium and matter is converted into energy. Lasers can confine a hydrogen plasma so that fusion reactions can be sustained. We have not yet achieved this on earth at smaller scales. To do this, we need to solve many problems. Can we take images of the fusion capsule? What can we learn about fusion with these images? Can we then optimize parameters to achieve fusion? Why do these questions matter? Well, fusion energy is a cleaner and cheaper alternative to many other sources of energy. With carbon-based technologies leading energy consumption, global warming is a concern for society. Can we provide clean energy accessible to all with a much lower impact on the health of the planet and its population? Learn More