I graduated in Technical Physics at Helsinki University of Technology (HUT), now Aalto University, Finland in 1992. I carried out my research in the Plasma Physics and Fusion Group of HUT until 1995 when I moved to the JET Joint European Torus, the largest tokamak in the world, located in the UK. At JET, I worked as Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) Physics Expert, Scientific Coordinator, Responsible Officer for several large modelling codes and Physicist in Charge as well as trained as Session Leader of JET experiments. My thesis for the degree of Doctor of Science in Technology at HUT in 1999 was based on my research at JET. In 2003 I became Deputy Leader of Task Force Heating and Current Drive at JET, with approx. 80 members at several research institutions across Europe. In 2006 I joined the ICRF group of the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak, Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Germany and in October 2013 I was appointed ICREA Research Professor at BSC.
Research interests
My research is directed towards contributing to the development of nuclear fusion as a source of energy and, in particular, to the ITER project. ITER is an international nuclear fusion R&D project, which is building the world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor in France. ITER aims to demonstrate that fusion energy is scientifically and technologically feasible. My research is focused in the numerical modelling of experiments in magnetically confined fusion devices in preparation for ITER operation, working towards the objectives of the European fusion research programme EUROfusion for Horizon Europe in close collaboration with ITER, International Tokamak Physics Activity, EUROfusion and the Spanish national fusion laboratory CIEMAT. My overall objective is to enhance the modelling capabilities by code validation and optimization, with the ultimate goal of helping improve the performance of ITER and future fusion reactors.
Selected publications
– Mantsinen M J et al 2023, ‘Experiments in high-performance JET plasmas in preparation of second harmonic ICRF heating of tritium in ITER’ Nucl. Fusion 63 112015.
– Hobirk J et al 2023, The JET hybrid scenario in Deuterium, Tritium and Deuterium-Tritium, Nucl. Fusion 63 112001.
– Garcia J et al 2023. ‘Modelling performed for predictions of fusion power in JET DTE2: overview and lessons learnt’, Nucl. Fusion, 63, 11, 112003.
– Solano ER, et al. 2023, ‘L-H transition studies in tritium and deuterium–tritium campaigns at JET with Be wall and W divertor‘, Nuclear Fusion, 63, 112011.
– Štancar Ž, et al. 2023, ‘Overview of interpretive modelling of fusion performance in JET DTE2 discharges with TRANSP‘, Nuclear Fusion, 63, 126058.
– Rodrigues P et al. 2023 Nucl. Fusion 63 066011.
– Birkenmeier G et al 2023 Plasma Phys. Contr. Fusion 65 054001.
– Jacquet P, et al. 2023, ‘ICRH operations and experiments during the JET-ILW tritium and DTE2 campaigns‘, AIP Conference Proceedings, 2984, 030003.
– Bilato A et al. 2023, ‘Impact of ICRF fast-ions on core turbulance and MHD activity in ASDEX upgrade’, AIP Conf. 2984, 030010.
– Kazakov YeO et al. 2023, ‘Progress with applications of three-ion ICRF scenarious for fusion research‘, AIP Conf. Proc., 2984, 020001
Selected research activities
-Fusion Group Leader at BSC (fusion.bsc.es)
-PI EUROfusion Advanced Computing Hub CIEMAT-BSC (2021-2025, 2M€)
-Scientific Coordinator of EUROfusion experiment “2nd harmonic heating of T in DT plasmas in preparation for ITER” on JET
-Member of the EPS Plasma Physics Division Board
-Organizer of 4th Fusion HPC workshop, online event, 2023
-Supervisor of one PhD student and one MSc student (UPC)
-European expert for the IFERC Project Committee of Broader Approach between Europe and Japan
-Member of EUROfusion Allocation Committee for Marconi-Fusion
-Expert evaluator for Chalmers University (Sweden) and Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Germany)
-Reviewer for U.S. Department of Energy and the Luxembourg national research fund (FNR)