Public Lecture by Sir Steven Cowley - "Fusion energy: when?"

Please join us at 50 George Square for a drinks reception followed by a Public Lecture by Sir Steven Cowley (PPPL), the talk is called "Fusion energy: when?". The drinks reception will be from 5:45pm and the lecture will begin at 6:30pm.

This talk will be about, how during a remarkable 1920 lecture, Arthur Eddington speculated that fusion might become the ultimate long-term energy source. Indeed, the realization of that vision will be revolutionary. More than a century later, we are approaching the milestone of generating net electricity from fusion for the first time. The UK’s STEP device, for example, aims to have a net-positive fusion plant operational before 2040. While this is an ambitious goal, recent breakthroughs in both magnetic and inertial fusion—combined with a surge of private-sector investment—suggest success may be within reach. This talk will outline the progress made and the critical challenges that remain.

Whether you are a student, researcher or curious about this subject, this event is for you.

About Sir Steven Cowley:

Sir Steven Cowley is a theoretical physicist and international authority on fusion energy. He’s laboratory director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which is managed by Princeton University where Cowley is also professor of astrophysical sciences. He’s also chair of the Board of Trustees for the Faraday Institution.

Prior to his current positions, Cowley was president of Corpus Christi College and professor of physics at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Cowley previously was chief executive officer of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and head of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy.

Event resources