All SPC news

Exploring the mysteries of trapped electrons: the T-REX Experiment

Published:17.09.24 — At the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), an intriguing experiment is unfolding that could change the future of fusion energy. It's called the TRapped Electrons eXperiment, or T-REX, and its day-to-day operations and research are driven by a passionate and multi-talented scientist, Dr. Francesco Romano.

"I am a strong believer in the collaborative nature of research"

Published:10.09.24 — Ralf Mackenbach, a postdoctoral researcher at the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), has been awarded the prestigious Rubicon Grant by the Dutch Research Council for his research at SPC. This two-year grant, beginning in September 2024, will allow him to test new plasma forms using the Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV) fusion device at EPFL, and apply an interesting model developed during his Ph.D.

"I have always been fascinated by complicated subjects"

Published:01.07.24 — Baptiste Frei has been awarded the 2024 PhD Research Prize by the Plasma Physics Division of the European Physical Society (EPS) for the excellence of his thesis at EPFL's Swiss Plasma Center. This award underlines Baptiste Frei's exceptional contributions to the field of plasma fusion and marks an important milestone in his scientific career. After completing his PhD at the Swiss Plasma Center, under the supervision of Paolo Ricci, he has now joined the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Germany, where he works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Tokamak Theory Group. His focus lies in conducting edge turbulence simulations using high-performance computing codes.

"Our priority remains excellence"

Published:10.06.24 — Since June 1, 2024, Paolo Ricci has succeeded Ambrogio Fasoli as Director of the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC). For several years, he has also held the SPC Chair of Theory while teaching physics at EPFL, a passion which has earned him numerous teaching awards. With a career spanning 18 years at the Swiss Plasma Center, he now heads one of the most prestigious plasma physics research laboratories in Europe.

Three emerging voices recognized by the Physics of Plasmas journal

Published:13.05.24 — Kyungtak Lim, Pedro Molina Cabrera and Haomin Sun, two postdoctoral researchers and a PhD student at EPFL's Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), have been selected for the Physics of Plasmas Journal's 2023 Early Career collection. This prestigious recognition, which highlights emerging voices in plasma physics, also gives them the opportunity to showcase the collaborative environment at the SPC that fosters high-level research in their field.

Turning water into green disinfectant

Published:07.05.24 — Imagine sterilizing kitchen surfaces and hospital instruments, washing fruits and vegetables, sanitizing hands, or rinsing mouths—all achievable with a single eco-friendly solution: Plasma-activated water (PAW). Rita Agus, a PhD student at the Swiss Plasma Center, is deeply engaged in this research involving PAW, which promises to solve microbial issues without resorting to traditional methods involving heat or chemicals. Recently, she published a paper in the renowned Chemical Engineering Journal, introducing a portable PAW reactor for academic research, a high-tech tool that could not only transform water, but also our everyday hygiene practices.

Prof. Christian Theiler promoted to Associate Professor

Published:12.03.24 — The ETH Board has promoted prof. Christian Theiler to Associate Professor of Physics in the School of Basic Sciences (SB).

Record turnout spotlights crucial role of JOREK code

Published:04.03.24 — The annual JOREK General Meeting successfully took place on EPFL campus from 12th to 16th February 2024. Hosted by the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) for the first time, this event gathered more than 60 on-site and remote attendees across Europe, Asia and the US, marking the highest number of participants to date. 

7 (+ 7) Women in Science to follow

Published:12.02.24 — To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11, 7 brilliant female scientists from the Swiss Plasma Center share their stories + 7 empowering women in science who inspire them.

JET Tokamak's Latest Fusion Energy Record

Published:12.02.24 — In a major scientific achievement, European researchers, including some from EPFL, working at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility have set a new world energy record of 69 megajoules released in sustained and controlled fusion energy.