Karazin University participated in the PhD Event 2023 of the FuseNet association

From August 23rd to 25th, the annual Ph.D. Event 2023 of the FuseNet association took place at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland.

FuseNet is a European platform for coordinating education in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion. Karazin University has been a part of it for many years, thanks to its world-class training in this field. Karazin University's participation in the FuseNet association is a unique example of the European Union compensating the university for all expenses related to training such personnel. This allows the university to cover travel expenses for its master's and doctoral students to attend conferences and schools both in Ukraine and abroad.

The main goal of the event was to provide doctoral students with the opportunity to discuss their work with each other and with researchers from the international thermonuclear fusion community, as well as to establish valuable contacts for their professional careers.

This year, the event was attended by 130 doctoral students from 18 European countries. Participants shared the results of their work through presentations, which allowed for an exchange of ideas and insights into the various directions that the young generation of researchers is currently exploring.

Yulia Volkova, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Physics and Technology, presented her research results on the dynamics of a plasma flow generated by a longitudinal magnetic field magnetoplasma compressor. 

Key speakers included representatives from the European Commission, EUROfusion, F4E, EPFL, the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, and Daphne Technology. They addressed fundamental aspects of the European thermonuclear fusion program. In particular, the head of EUROfusion's fusion technology division, Gianfranco Federichi, emphasized the pressing issue of the shortage of young specialists in the field. 

Doctoral students had the opportunity to visit laboratories at the Swiss Plasma Center and CERN, which complemented the event's program. The Swiss Plasma Center's Tokamak TCV (Tokamak à Configuration Variable) is the largest experimental facility, where research on the physics of thermonuclear fusion is conducted, along with investigations into new and alternative approaches to solving technological challenges for future power station prototypes like DEMO. 

Another experimental facility is RAID (Resonant Antenna Ion Device), which is a prospective candidate for plasma generation of negative hydrogen ions for ITER. 

However, research directions at the plasma center go beyond thermonuclear fusion. Plasma physicists, in collaboration with biologists, study the application of low-temperature plasma for disinfecting liquids and surfaces, as well as seed treatment technologies for agricultural purposes. Dielectric barrier discharge-based plasma sterilizers are also actively developed in Kharkiv.

In 2023, the project of the National Science Center "Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology" (KhIPT) with the participation of Yulia Volkova became the winner of a competition organized by the National Research Fund of Ukraine.

Participants of the event also had the opportunity to explore the city of Lausanne, with its iconic  Lake Geneva, and to enjoy a visit to the Olympic Museum.

We sincerely thank the organizers and participants of the event for the valuable experience and pleasant impressions!