Multi-Fidelity Methods for Fusion Energy - Spring 2026 Program Overview

Explore IPAM's Spring 2026 long program focused on multi-fidelity methods for fusion energy research in this comprehensive webinar overview. Learn about the resources available to resident scholars from Associate Director Selenne Bañuelos, then dive into the program's scientific content with Frank Jenko from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics starting at 05:36. Discover the four main workshop themes through presentations by leading experts: Emily Belli from General Atomics discusses multi-fidelity methods for fusion plasma physics (16:38), Ionut-Gabriel Farcas from Virginia Tech covers learning models from data for multi-fidelity fusion plasma physics (22:02), Elizabeth Paul from Columbia University presents fusion device design and engineering (25:00), and Tim Wildey from Sandia National Laboratories explores multi-fidelity methods for robust optimization and real-time control of fusion processes (27:38). Understand how this interdisciplinary program aims to unite mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, and engineers to address the computational challenges facing commercially viable fusion power, particularly the need for efficient multi-fidelity modeling approaches that balance high-fidelity physics with computational practicality for real-time plasma control and experimental design.

Syllabus

"Multi-Fidelity Methods for Fusion Energy" is the Spring 2026 long program at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics at UCLA. In this webinar, Selenne Bañuelos, the Associate Director of IPAM, explains the resources provided to long program resident scholars. She is joined by Frank Jenko of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics for an overview of the long program content, beginning at 05:36. The themes of the four main week-long workshops are introduced by:
16:38 Emily Belli of General Atomics "Multi-Fidelity Methods for Fusion Plasma Physics"
22:02 Ionut-Gabriel Farcas of Virginia Tech "Learning Models from Data for Multi-Fidelity Fusion Plasma Physics"
25:00 Elizabeth Paul of Columbia University "Fusion Device Design and Engineering"
27:38 Tim Wildey of Sandia National Laboratories "Multi-Fidelity Methods to Enable Robust Optimization and Real-Time Control of Fusion Processes"