Design, build and run the world’s first student-led fusion energy reactor. Fusion energy is the ultimate solution to clean energy, and it’s closer than you think. Help accelerate its development, work with world-leading companies and start-ups, and break new world records.
VIP ChallENG research goals
Our team aims make the worlds first fusion reactor entirely designed, built, and operated by students. And do so in 2 years. You will develop innovative solutions to engineering challenges across many engineering disciplines, work closely with industry partners, and be part a vibrant team of enthusiastic and dedicated people who want to push the boundaries of what is possible with fusion energy. This project will support R&D for several start-ups in the fast-paced world of the fusion industry, with an estimated value nearing US$1 trillion by 2040. Fusion energy is no longer a scientific curiosity, it is a real engineering solution to decarbonise our electricity. The only thing holding it back, are engineering challenges, and you can help accelerate their development.
Research, design & technical issues
Model, design, build, test the following components:
- High-field electromagnets
- Plasma diagnostics
- Mechanical structures
- High and low voltage, high current, electrical power supplies
- Electronics
- Plasma control systems
- Low level control systems
Assembly integration and testing
Model plasma physics
Model magnets
Develop data acquisition and storage
ChallENG Area
Vertically Integrated Projects
Research Areas
Nuclear fusion energy | Structural mechanical design | Electromagnet physics | Electromagnet materials science | High voltage, high current electrical power supplies | Low voltage, high current electrical power supplies | Plasma physics and plasma control engineering | Plasma diagnostics | Vacuum and fuelling system | Plasma current drive and heating physics and engineering
- Join this team for
- Desired skills
- Industry partners
Professional Development
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Design
• Communication
• Integrity
• Innovation and excellence
• Diversity
• Respect
• Resilience
Degrees:
- Mechanical engineering
- Mechatronics
- Electronics and electrical engineering
- Materials engineering and science
- Computer science and software engineering
- Physics
- Chemical Engineering
- Design, Industrial Design, Media
Skills:
- Mechanical design
- Solid mechanics
- Manufacturing Systems engineering
- CAD
- Programming (python, MATLAB, C, C++)
- Control systems
- High voltage, high current electrical power supplies
- Low voltage, high current electrical power supplies
- Electronics design and manufacturing
- Plasma physics
- Plasma diagnostics
- Magnets physics
- Magnets mechanical design
- Magnets modelling
- Data acquisition and storage
Team Academic Lead
Prof. John Fletcher
School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications
