The BSC Fusion Group recently gained a new doctorate member! The PhD student, Tomas Bensadon, successfully defended his thesis at the beginning of the month, receiving his doctorate degree and thus joining most of the Fusion Group on having this academic certification. The presentation ended a process that started in September 2020, when Tomas joined the Fusion Group as a PhD student.
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) hosts one of the Advanced Computing Hub (ACH) that EUROfusion has created to improve fusion codes following its European Research Roadmap. These codes are essential for advancing fusion energy research, which is a promising sustainable energy source for the future.
On the 7th and 8th of May, the members of the group Pau Manyer and Hernán Domingo participated in the 11th International BSC Severo Ochoa Doctoral Symposium 2024, presenting their recent work within the framework of their Master’s Thesis projects. In this event, MSc and PhD students and early postdoctoral scientists have an opportunity to gather together and communicate their research projects to the audience, either in the form of oral or poster presentations. In this edition, more than 40 participants from diverse backgrounds could disseminate their research topics and achievements.
Once again, our Fusion group has not missed the opportunity to contribute to the Fusion Technology Course offered as part of the Nuclear Engineering MSc program at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain. This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of plasma physics and fusion technology, covering various topics delivered by experts in various fusion fields.
In this year’s edition, our group members, Dani Gallart and Xavier Sáez, delivered two lectures that offered insights into our group’s research activity.
From April 8th through 10th (2024) the ITER Organization gathered researchers, industry partners and all members of the international neutronics community in Cadarache, where the fusion reactor homonymous to the organisation is undergoing construction, to host the 15th Neutronics Meeting and Fusion Neutronics Workshop. Aiming to discuss recent advancements, issues and successes in the neutronics field, the meeting covered several topics including ITER neutronics, safety issues, computational tools and nuclear data relevant to nuclear fusion, shielding materials, damage, heating, waste production and management and neutron sources, among others.
Ezequiel Goldberg, member of the Fusion Group, attended the meeting where researchers made presentations from both public and private institutions from Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Finland, Slovenia, the UK, the US, Russia, India, Korea, Japan, China, and international organisations such as the ITER Organization and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).
In Catalonia, the 23rd of April marks a special day in tradition and cultural significance: the Diada de Sant Jordi, or Saint Jordi’s Day. This celebration uniquely combines culture and love in a vibrant display of Catalan identity. On this special day, the streets of Catalan cities and villages come alive with the enchanting sight of stalls brimming with roses and books.
On this day, we express our love and affection to our loved ones by exchanging roses and books, symbolizing the timeless values of love and knowledge. But beyond its romantic connotations, Sant Jordi holds a deeper meaning for Catalans—it is a celebration of their rich literary heritage and a tribute to the patron saint of Catalonia, Saint George.