Sponsor: San Diego Section Affinity Group,CN
Speaker: Edward Chu

Date: 21 Jul 2025
Time: 05:30 PM PDT to 07:30 PM PDT
Cost:
Location: Leucadia Pizza UTC / La Jolla
Reservations: IEEE
Summary:
What is the past, present, and likely future of nuclear fusion? How is fusion different from fission, and how does it compare to existing energy technologies in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and safety? How will fusion in a reactor differ from the natural fusion that powers the stars? I will explore the history of fusion research, its theoretical foundations, and discuss the current global effort to achieve sustainable, commercial fusion energy.

Mr. Chu will provide an in-depth look at ITER—the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor—the most expensive and ambitious scientific project ever undertaken, designed to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale fusion power. We’ll also examine other major projects worldwide, including private-sector initiatives and government-backed research programs, as well as the challenges that still need to be overcome, such as plasma confinement, energy input-output balance, and materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions.
Bio: Edward Chu is an electrical engineer and has worked on instrumentation for nuclear fusion research. He has also worked on cellular telephone equipment, semiconductor development, industrial process controllers, robotics, and video games, for companies such as Palomar Scientific Instruments, Lucasfilm, RCA and Panasonic.