How our laboratory is organized

Consorzio RFX integrates and manages the activities and personnel of the Padua laboratory for fusion research within a single organization.


Let’s see in detail how our laboratory is organized and what are the elements that create the ideal environment for the engagement of activities.

The construction of fusion power plants for the production of large-scale, clean, safe energy, respecting the environment and at competitive costs is one of the greatest scientific and technological challenges of modern society. At a national level, this challenge translates as a strategic collaboration between the Italian research bodies involved in physics and technology: ENEA, CNR, INFN together with universities and industry.

In this CONTEXT OF COLLABORATION, CONSORZIO RFX WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996, with founding members: CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padua and Acciaierie Venete SpA, to which INFN was added in 2005.

The structure of the consortium, thanks to the convergence of financial resources and personnel, creates an efficient synergy that allows us to tackle challenging long-term research projects and create the conditions necessary for attracting significant international funding.

The diagram shows the synergistic strategy underlying Consorzio RFX which, by unifying national and external contributions in a single structure, creates a GREATER VOLUME OF RESOURCES for investments in research. Participation in large international research projects generates an significant amplification of the scientific return for all of the Members.

Il Consorzio RFX è un amplificatore dei finanziamenti per la ricerca sulla fusione a Padova

From the control room, in operation during the inauguration of SPIDER inside the NBTF plant, to the board room that regulates the life of the laboratory; let’s take a quick look at the operating bodies of the RFX Consortium and its internal organization.

Bodies of Consorzio RFX


President
Prof. Piergiorgio Sonato
curriculum
Tel. +39 049 8295037
email: direzione.rfx@igi.cnr.it
piergiorgio.sonato@igi.cnr.it

Secretarial contacts:
Chiara Caloi


CONSIGLIO DI AMMINISTRAZIONE

Dr. Emilio Campana (CNR)
Prof. Piergiorgio Sonato (UNI PD)
Dott.ssa Valentina Vaccaro (ENEA)
Dr. Marco Ripani (INFN)
Dr. Rosario Corrado Spinella (CNR)
Prof. Paolo Bettini (UNIPD)
Dott. Diego Bettoni (INFN)
Ing. Giorgio Zuccaro (Acciaierie Venete Spa)
Dott.ssa Paola Batistoni (ENEA)


Resposible for Consortium Body operations: Dr. Maria Teresa Orlando
Secretary to the Board of Directors: Chiara Caloi

Director
Dott. Marco Valisa
curriculum
Tel. +39 049 8295036
email: direzione.rfx@igi.cnr.it , marco.valisa@igi.cnr.it

Deputy Director
Dr. Alessandra Canton


Secreterial contacts:
Chiara Caloi , Alessia Grava

Organizational structure

The Padua Group for fusion research has developed from the beginning a philosophy of balance between physics research and engineering for fusion.

The core elements along the evolutionary path of the Group were the INTEGRATION OF THE SKILLS available throughout the participating Bodies and the EFFICIENCY and OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY of the personnel, towards the achievement of the scientific objectives gradually entrusted to the Padua Group.

A real leap in ability to achieve these objectives took place in 1996, the year in which Consorzio RFX was established and whose members are currently: ENEA, CNR, INFN, University of Padua, Acciaierie Venete Spa.


The birth of Consorzio RFX has made it possible to manage both the staff of the Bodies and those directly employed by the Consortium in a unified manner, and thus harmonize the aspects of decentralized bargaining.

The need to operate on several lines of research activities in parallel has led to the choice of a “matrix” organizational structure of the scientific staff, which was the key to maximizing the efficiency of the physics and engineering groups involved in the three large research areas developed at Consorzio RFX: magnetic confinement, plasma heating with neutral particle injection, and fusion technologies.

Below is the organizational chart of Consorzio RFX: