Dr. James Yang
Staff Research Physicist
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Abstract
Magnetic confinement fusion has come so far, but what took it so long, and what challenges remain? In this seminar, a brief history of humanity's quest for fusion energy is described by a physics operator, or a pilot of fusion reactors. The role of an experimental fusion reactor in Princeton called "NSTX-U" towards our path to fusion energy commercialization is highlighted.
About Dr. James Yang
James Yang is a staff research physicist at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. He has served as the Acting Head of Physics Operations at the NSTX-U National Fusion Facility since 2025. He joined the laboratory and received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Seoul National University in 2019. He also serves as the Chair for the Workshop on MHD Stability Control and the lead of an ITPA-IOS Joint Experiment, reflecting his research interests in plasma stability and plasma initiation. In the past, he served as the Deputy Coordinating Physics Operator at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility.