We currently sit in a unique moment in time where groundbreaking advancements in fusion science and technology are catching the attention of public and private communities across the globe. The realization of fusion energy, which has the potential to completely transform the global energy market, has never been closer. But if we are to succeed in this grand challenge, fusion energy must be empowered and supported by the communities that make us who we are. This sort of community engagement does not happen overnight. To help facilitate this process, I am working with Professor Steffi Diem at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Dr. Arturo Dominguez at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to put together an annual event called “Fusion Energy Week.”

The mission of Fusion Energy Week is to communicate the accelerating development of fusion energy to members of the public at every level and to involve those same individuals in the continued pursuit of a clean, safe and robust energy alternative. Fusion Energy Week brings the science and technology that push fusion forward back into the public sphere so that trust, collaboration and clarity can be established early and often, supporting the energy solutions of tomorrow.

Fusion Energy Week takes place annually (beginning in 2024) on the week of May 6th, which is the week of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin’s birthday. It primarily consists of a collection of events that focus on engaging with local communities, utilizing a central website to help people find events near them. Several virtual events, including special seminars and tours of labratories around the world, are hosted during the week. The organizing committee provides resources (event ideas, fusion fundamentals, fun fusion Friday infographics, trivia night kits, etc.) to people who wish to organize activities in their local community or share resources on social media.

In 2024, we had over 66 events across the US, UK, New Zealand, Italy and the Netherlands, hosted by 34 different organizers! Twelve of these were completely virtual, and almost all of them were open to the general public. Many of the facility tours for Fusion Energy Week also included public lectures or other forms of engagement which were highly valued by the attendees. Some more creative implementations included a screening of the film of “Let There Be Light” at fusion scavenger hunt at NC State, which resulted in a rich discussion afterwards with local students. We also had several closed events for specific groups that generated a lot of interest. At General Atomics, the DIII-D Science Team hosted a Fusion Festival to celebrate Fusion Energy Week and the first DIII-D Plasma of 2024. This was an instant hit full of fusion games and contests and they hope to repeat it year after year going forward. OpenStar Technologies and the Robinson Research Institute in New Zealand hosted two educational sessions for local school groups, both of which were a great success in inspiring the next generation of change-makers to look a little closer at fusion technology opportunities in New Zealand. Zap Energy hosted a panel and tour event around the topic, Navigating Career Paths for Women in Fusion and STEM which was open to students in 2-year, 4-year and graduate programs from a mix of local schools – Everett Community College, Edmonds College, Seattle Pacific University, the University of Washington, and Washington State University.

If you would like to learn more about Fusion Energy Week, attend or host a local event, or otherwise get involved, please do not hesitate to reach out via email!