Nathaniel Ferraro

I am a Principal Research Scientist and Deputy Head of the Theory Department at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). My research research focuses on computational modeling of the equilibrium and large-scale stability of magnetized fusion plasmas. Recently, disruptions and disruption mitigation have been a particular area of focus. I am the Principle Investigator of Mitigating Risks from Abrupt Confinement Loss (MiRACL)", a FIRE Collaborative that seeks to quantify the risks from disruptions and to develop and evaluate methods to mitigate these risks. Disruptions pose serious risks to reactor-scale fusion facilities, including large thermal fluxes and stresses on the confinement vessel, and must be understood and mitigated to ensure a robust power plant design.