A group from the Department of Nuclear Engineering joined a delegation of top fusion scientists on a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on April 2 to talk to congressional staffers about the critical importance of advancing fusion research.
In accordance with Fusion Day, the annual event allows fusion scientists to interact with their government affairs representatives to discuss the importance and promise of fusion research.
Livia Casali, an NE assistant professor and Zinkle Fellow, was joined by graduate students Promise Adebayo-Ige, Ray Mattes, and Jeremy Mateja on the trip.
The group was able to speak with Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a U.S. representative for Tennessee’s 3rd congressional district and the chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations.
“The meeting was very successful. I had the honor to talk to Mr. Fleischmann and the other Tennessee representatives about our fusion program in Tennessee and there was a lot of support and excitement,” Casali said. “Together, with our colleagues at ORNL, we discussed ongoing work and new capabilities in East Tennessee.”
The goal of the meeting was to educate congressional and house members on the importance of supplying adequate funding and resources to further expand fusion research. According to Casali, it also served as a great opportunity for professors to gain visibility for the work they are doing with fusion in college engineering departments.
“The level of excitement and momentum around making fusion a reality has never been greater,” Casali said.