PhD in “Fusion Science and Engineering” (FSE)

Brief history of the PhD course

• In 2007 the University of Padua (UNIPD) founded the international doctoral network Lisbon-Munich-Padua (LMP) which introduced the concept of a supranational doctoral network for fusion training in Europe and was hired as reference to establish the requirements in the training system of the European FuseNet program.
• In 2012, the Erasmus Mundus Fusion Doctoral College (Fusion-DC) program in “Nuclear Fusion Science and Engineering” was launched, coordinated by the University of Ghent (UGENT) in Belgium. The University of Padua immediately joined it as a “Full partner”.
• In the 2017/18 academic year (XXXIII doctoral cycle), continuing the successful experience of the LMP and Fusion-DC networks, the Universities of Padua and Ghent launched a three-year joint doctoral program dedicated to the science and technology of fusion, supported by a large network of national and international universities and by national and international research laboratories for experimental activities.

Currently

In the academic year 2020/21 (XXXVI doctoral cycle), the Universities of Padua and Naples “Federico II” launched the inter-university Doctorate Course in “Fusion Science and Engineering” (FSE), with administrative headquarters in Padua. The ambitious goal is to consolidate its role in the high-level training of young researchers (physicists and engineers). Students will be able to benefit from the growing opportunities offered in the experimental activities conducted at the RFX Consortium in Padua (ITER NBTF, RFX-mod) and from the development of the DTT project, an innovative magnetic confinement experiment currently underway at the ENEA headquarters -Frascati, with the involvement of a large part of the national fusion community.

The following activities are foreseen for a PhD student in FSE:

–    Attendance of basic and specialized courses in the field of fusion science and technology
–    Research periods at international universities and research laboratories (Europe, United States, Japan)
–    Training periods in industries active in Italy and abroad in the field of fusion
–    Participation in congresses and seminars
–    Other complementary activities

The time dedicated to the various activities planned over the three-year period is typically distributed between:
–    Research (70-80%)
–    Study (10%)
–    Other activities, including writing the thesis (10-20%)

More information can be found on the official website of the PhD course in “Fusion Science and Engineering” (FSE)
https://www.crf.unipd.it/phd-course-dottorato/introduction

Discussion of the PhD theses 2020 online