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Livia Casali

Livia Casali

Zinkle Fellow and Assistant Professor

Biography

University of Tennessee, August 2021

  • Developing a research program in fusion energy science, plasma physics
  • Creating new undergraduate and graduate courses
  • Collaborative Research with fusion facilities worldwide

General Atomics, San Diego, US, July 2016–2021

  • Scientist, General Atomics, DIII-D National Fusion Facility
  • Experiments and state-of-art computational modeling

Research

Fusion Energy Science, Plasma physics: radiative and detached divertors, divertor optimization, pedestal dynamics and core-edge integration solution to achieve high core performance scenarios with mitigated heat loads in magnetically confined fusion devices. Experiments and state-of-the-art computational modelling.

Casali presented the above seminar titled, "Core–Edge Integration in Tokamaks," which was given as part of SoCal Plasma Zoom, a series of seminars on all areas of plasma physics and related fields, hosted jointly by the University of California (UC) San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, and General Atomics.

Education

PhD in Physics, Dr. rerum naturae, 2012–2015, Magna cum Laude
Max Planck Institute for Plasma physics/LMU University Munich, Germany
Thesis: “Experimental studies and modelling of high radiation and high density plasmas in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak”

Participation in the:

  • International Helmholtz Graduate School  2012–2015
  • European doctoral network in Fusion science and Engineering (Padua, Lisbon, Munich) 2012–2015

Master’s Degree in Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics, 2009–2011, 110/110 cum Laude
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
Thesis: “Investigation of the effect of the Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating on radiated power in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak”

Germany Academic of Science (DAAD) and Erasmus Placement fellow, 2011
Max Planck Institute, Munich, Germany 2011

Erasmus Fellow, 2010
University of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Professional Service

  • 2022 US ITER workshop Discussion Leader for Div/SOL Topical Area Feb. 2022
  • 2022 Host of the International ECC webinar for the ECC on edge physics research
  • 2021 Session Chair at the American Physics Society Conference for the Divertor and Scrape off Layer, Pittsburgh
  • Member of the International Tokamak Physics Activity in support of ITER
  • US Transport Task Force Executive Committee Member
  • 2021 Panelist at Fusion Innovation Forum, East Tennessee Economic Council
  • 2021 Presenter at the DIII-D Program Advisory Committee Meeting
  • 2021 Advocating for fusion energy at US Congress, Fusion Day on Capitol Hill
  • 2020 Advocating for fusion energy at US Congress, Fusion Day on Capitol Hill
  • 2020 Panelist at the APS Conference for Undergraduate Women (CUWiP)
  • 2020 Job Fair for General Atomics at APS-DPP Conference
  • 2020 Community Workshop, Houston
  • 2019 Job Fair for General Atomics at APS-DPP Conference
  • 2018 Organizer of the hands-on science workshop “EYH 2018” at San Diego University
  • 2017 Outreach event at the “EYH 2017” at San Diego University
  • 2017 Outreach event at the “BeWise” event at General Atomics 
  • 2017 Public Interview for the Italian newspaper “Il Fatto Quotidiano”
  • 2017 Public Interview for the Italian newspaper “Capital”
  • 2017 Job Fair for General Atomics at APS-DPP Conference
  • Peer Reviewer for Nuclear Fusion Journal, Plasma Physics and Control Fusion Journal, Physics of Plasmas Journal, Nuclear Material and Energy Journal, manuscripts and experimental proposals submitted to the Core-Edge Integration Area at the DIII-D tokamak
  • Member of the American Physics Society (2014–Present)
  • Member of the Italian Physics Society (2014–Present)

Awards and Recognitions

  • 2022 US Department of Energy Office of Science Early Career Research Program Awardee
  • 2022 ITER Scientist Fellow
  • 2021–2026 Zinkle Faculty Fellow 
  • Scientific Research honored by the US Department of Energy 2021, https://www.energy.gov/science/fes/articles/keeping-it-cool-while-maintaining-core-performance
  • Scientific Research selected as Featured Article in Physics of Plasmas Journal 2020, https://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.5144693
  • IOP Trusted Reviewer status “in recognition of an exceptionally high level of peer review competency”
  • 2019 DIII-D Science Director's Special Prize for an Exceptional Invited APS Talk “A truly Outstanding presentation that communicated complex physics and exciting results with exceptionally clear explanations and physics” 
  • Top Cited Article 2018-2019 in Contribution to Plasma Physics
  • 2016–18 Postdoctoral fellowship, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
  • 2014 “Pietro Blaserna (founder of the Italian Physics Society)” award for proficient scientific activity, Italian Physics Society
  • 2014 EPS/PPCF Prize “For Outstanding Presentation of Work”
  • 2013 Grant for the 3rd European Energy Conference, Budapest
  • 2013 Award for brilliant achievement in the course of studies (ANP + Goethe Institute)
  • 2012 Grant for Sokendai Winter School, Toki, Japan
  • 2011 DAAD (German Academic Exchange) fellowship
  • 2011 Erasmus Student Placement Fellowship
  • 2010 Erasmus Fellowship
  • 2010 Grant for the Summer University at IPP Garching
  • 2009 Grant for the Summer University at IPP Greifswald
  • 2007 Outstanding student Award, University of Rome Tor Vergata
  • 2006 Outstanding student Award, University of Rome Tor Vergata

Publications

Select list of publications. For the full list, view Casali's Google Scholar profile.

  • L. Casali, T. Osborne, B. Grierson, A. McLean, E. Meier, J. Ren, M. Shafer, H. Wang, J. Watkins “Improved core-edge compatibility using impurity seeding in the small angle slot (SAS) divertor at DIII-D,“ Physics of Plasmas 27, 062506 (2020) Featured Article
  • L. Casali, D. Eldon, B. Grierson, A. Leonard, A. McLean, T. Osborne “Impurity leakage and radiative cooling in the first nitrogen and neon seeding study in the closed DIII-D SAS configuration”,  Nuclear Fusion, 62 026021 (2022)
  • L. Casali, D. Eldon, J. A. Boedo, T. Leonard, and B. Covele “Neutral leakage, power dissipation and pedestal fueling in open vs closed divertors,” Nuclear Fusion 60 076011, 2020
  • L. Casali, D. Eldon, A. Leonard, T. Osborne, A. McLean “Impurity retention and pedestal performance in DIII-D closed divertor”. Proceeding of the 28th IAEA FEC, 2020
  • L Casali, C Sang, A. Moser, B. Covele, H. Guo, C. Samuell “Modelling the effect of divertor closure on detachment onset in DIII-D with the SOLPS code”, Contribution to Plasma Physics, 1-7, 2018Editor’s choice and Top Cited Article, 2018–2019
  • L Casali, E. Fable, R. Dux, F Ryter and the ASDEX Upgrade Team “Modelling of nitrogen seeding experiments in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak,” Phys. Plasmas 25, 032506, 2018
  • L Casali, B. Covele, H. Guo, A. Moser “The effect of neutrals in the new SAS divertor in the DIII-D tokamak as modeled by SOLPS,” Journal of Nuclear Materials 19, 537-543, 2019
  • L. Casali, T. H. Osborne, A. McLean, B. Covele, D. Eldon, B. Grierson, M. Shafer, D. Thomas, H. Wang, J. Watkins “Unraveling the coupling of divertor closure and impurity radiation in the first impurity seeding experiments in the SAS divertor at DIII-D,” Proceedings of the 46th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics (Milan 2019), Volume 43 P2.1027
  • L Casali, M Bernert, R Dux, R Fischer, A Kallenbach, B Kurzan, P Lang, A Mlynek, R M. McDermott, F Ryter, M Sertoli, G Tardini, H Zohm “Transport analysis of high radiation and high density plasmas in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak," EPJ79, 01007, 2014
  • L Casali, E. Fable, R. Dux, M Bernert, R Fischer, A Kallenbach, A Mlynek, R M. McDermott, F Ryter, M Sertoli, G Tardini, H Zohm "Transport analysis of high radiation in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak,"41stEPS Conference on Plasma Physics (EPS 2014), Vol. 38F, 2014, P2.005
  • A. Kallenbach, M Bernert, L Casali, M Dunne, T Eich, L Giannone, A Herrmann, M Maraschek, S Potzel, F Reimold, V Rohde, J Schweinzer, E Viezzer, M Wischmeier “Partial detachment of high power discharges in ASDEX Upgrade” Nuclear Fusion 55, 5 (2015), 053026, Winner of the Nuclear Fusion Award, 2018
  • A. Kallenbach, M Bernert, R Dux, L Casali, Th Eich, L Giannone, A Herrmann, R McDermott, A Mlynek, HW Müller, F Reimold, J Schweinzer, M Sertoli, G Tardini, W Treutterer, E Viezzer, R Wenninger, M Wischmeier “Impurity seeding for tokamak power exhaust: from present devices via ITER to DEMO” Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 55 (2013), 124041
  • A Moser, L Casali, BM Covele, AW Leonard, AG McLean, MW Shafer,H Wang, J Watkins “Separating divertor closure effects on divertor detachment and pedestal shape in DIII-D” Physics of Plasmas 27 (3), 032506, 2020
  • Ra, K. Kwon, L. Casali, H. Guo. P. Stangeby, M. Sup Hur “Effects of a shallow SAS divertor on detachment in KSTAR” Nuclear Fusion,61(1), 014001, 2020
  • MW Shafer, B Covele, JM Canik, L Casali, HY Guo, AW Leonard, JD Lore, AG McLean, AL Moser, PC Stangeby, D Taussig, HQ Wang, JG Watkins “Dependence of neutral pressure on detachment in the small angle slot divertor at DIII-D,” Nuclear Materials and Energy 19, 487-492, 2019
  • H Guo, H Wang, J Watkins, L Casali, B Covele, A Moser, T Osborne, C Samuell, M Shafer, P Stangeby, DThomas, J Boedo, R Buttery, R Groebner, D Hill, L Holland, A Hyatt, A Jaervinen, A Kellman, L Lao, C Lasnier, A Leonard, C Murphy, J Ren, CF Sang, A Sontag, TS Taylor “First experimental test of the small angle slot SAS divertor concept for steady-stateusion,” Nuclear Fusion 59, 8, 2019
  • T. Osborne, L. Casali, H. Guo, A. Moser, M. Shafer  “SM Comparison of H-mode pedestal characteristics in SAS and open divertor configurations on DIII-D” Proceedings of the 46th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics (Milan 2019), Volume 43 P5.1035
  • A Mlynek, L Casali, O Ford, H Eixenberger, ASDEX Upgrade Team “Fringe jump analysis and implementation of polarimetry on the ASDEX Upgrade DCN interferometer,” Review of Scientific Instruments 85, 11, 2014
  • PT Lang, A Burckhart, M Bernert, L Casali, R Fischer, O Kardaun, G Kocsis, M Maraschek, A Mlynek, B Plöckl, M Reich, F Ryter, J Schweinzer, B Sieglin, W Suttrop, T Szepesi, G Tardini, E Wolfrum, D Zasche, H Zohm "ELM pacing and high-density operation using pellet injection in the ASDEX Upgrade all-metal-wall tokamak,” Nuclear Fusion 54, 8, 2014, 083009
  • T.M. Wilks, P.B. Snyder, M. Knolker, D. Eldon, F. Laggner, C. Paz-Soldan, T. Osborne, A. Bortolon, F. Effenberg , C. Lasnier, A. McLean, F. Scotti, J. Watkins, H. Wang, A. Rosenthal,L. Casali, B. Grierson , J.W. Hughes and DIII-D Team“Development of an integrated core-edge scenario using the super H-mode,”  2021 Nucl. Fusion 61 126064
  • Florian Effenberg, A. Bortolon, L. Casali , R. Lunsford, I. Bykova , H.Q. Wang , F. Scotti, M. Fenstermacher , H. Frerichs , J.D. Lore , A. Nagy, Y. Feng B.A. Grierson, F. Laggner, R. Maingi, R. Nazikian, D. Thomas and the DIII-D Team, "Enhanced divertor power exhaust through injection of low-Z powders in DIII-D,” Proceedings of the IAEA/FEC, 2020
  • ​M. E Fenstermacher, Tyler Abrams, Kshitish Barada, Jayson L Barr, Livia Casali, Xi Chen, Cami Collins, Siye Ding, Brian A Grierson, Qiming Hu, Alessandro Marinoni, Adam G McLean, Carlos Paz-Soldan, Craig Petty, Lothar Schmitz, Daisuke Shiraki, Liang Wang, Theresa M Wilks "DIII-D research advancing the physics basis for optimizing the tokamak approach to fusion energy" Nuclear Fusion, 2021
  • T.M. Wilks, P.B. Snyder, M. Knolker, D. Eldon, F. Laggner, C. Paz-Soldan, T. Osborne, A. Bortolon, F. Effenberg , C. Lasnier, A. McLean, F. Scotti, J. Watkins, H. Wang, A. Rosenthal, L. Casali, B. Grierson , J.W. Hughes and DIII-D Team “Development of an integrated core-edge scenario using the super H-mode,” Proceeding of the IAEA/FEC, 2020
Livia Casali

Contact Information

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