Public lecture explores role of superconductors in energy

Victoria University of Wellington will host a lecture by Dr Joseph Minervini, a global expert on superconductivity from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr Minervini will discuss the role of superconducting magnets in generating power safely from a nuclear fusion reaction.

Globally, there are large public and private investments in developing devices that can efficiently generate power from a fusion reaction. Superconducting magnets produce efficient and reliable magnetic fields that are crucial to stability and control during a fusion reaction, and form an integral part of the most promising design concepts for commercial fusion reactors.

Hosted by the University’s Robinson Research Institute, Dr Minervini’s lecture will cover the current use of superconducting magnets for fusion devices which can substantially reduce the time between creating an energy positive fusion process and the resulting power getting on the grid. He will also look at the role of start-up firms in developing the magnets.

A distinguished lecturer with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) council on Superconductivity, Dr Minervini has played a leading role in the field of large-scale applications of superconductors for more than 35 years. With over 130 publications, his work has spanned laboratory research to management of engineering groups and large-scale projects pursuing advanced superconducting and energy technology goals. In 2013, Dr Minervini received the IEEE Council on Superconductivity Award for Continuing and Sustained Contributions in the Field of Applied Superconductivity. He has also won the Award for Technical Excellence in Fusion Science and Engineering from the Fusion Engineering Division of the American Nuclear Society.

What: Compact Fusion: A Faster Path to Clean Energy

When: 5 pm to 6pm, Thursday 7 November
Where: Lecture Theatre 1, Rutherford House, Victoria University of Wellington
Admission: Free public event

Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/compact-fusion-a-faster-path-to-limitless-clean-energy-tickets-77762476661

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