Welcome!

From the fact that you have reached this page I assume that you know that nuclear fusion is the energy source of the universe and that ITER is the large new fusion reaction presently under construction in the south of France, in a worldwide collaboration involving Europe, Japan, China, Russia, the USA, S-Korea and India.

Fusion may have a wonderful image as a sustainable energy source – it is clean, zero CO2, safe and the fuel is abundant, for all and for ever – it has one big drawback: building a fusion reactor is of surpassing scientific and technological difficulty. A challenge for the engineer!

The TU/e offers probably the world’s most comprehensive selection of specialized lecture courses on fusion topics, as well as a variety of hands-on experiments in the PlasmaLab@TU/e. The approach is interdisciplinary, in a collaboration between Applied Physics, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. As of September 2012, we offer a stand-alone 2-year interdisciplinary Fusion master, a full specialization in fusion science and technology. It is also possible to select fusion courses as electives in another master, e.g. in the Plasma track within Applied Physics.

We are also coordinating the European Fusion Education Network (FuseNet). And we work closely together with the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), presently based in Nieuwegein but moving to the TU/e campus in the near future. Apart from that, we have good links to practically every fusion lab on the globe, and our students do their research projects in international top groups. In recent years our students did projects in Europe (Germany, France, the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands of course) and internationally in the USA, China and S-Korea. You can check out what our students are doing at the moment here.

So if Fusion appeals to you, and you are bright and ambitious and not shy of a serious challenge, you’ve found the right place.