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Fusion Industry Association

Fusion Energy Insights Q&A with Arthur Turrell, Author of The Star Builders

Building a Global Fusion Energy Industry

On January 25th, from 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST FIA Affiliate Member Fusion Energy Insights will host a virtual interview with Arthur Turrell, author of The Star Builder: Nuclear Fusion and the Race to Power the Planet.

The Q&A will be hosted by Melanie Windridge, Founder and CEO of Fusion Energy Insights.

Please register here.

About the book:

When asked what problem he hoped scientists will have solved by the end of the century, Professor Stephen Hawking replied ‘I would like nuclear fusion to become a practical power source. It would provide an inexhaustible supply of energy, without pollution or global warming.’ But what is nuclear fusion, and could it really be the answer to the climate emergency? Fusion exists already in the stars that fill our universe with light, but can we harness that power here on earth? This is the question The Star Builders seeks to answer.

In his compelling new book, Dr Arthur Turrell makes the case for cutting-edge new techniques in nuclear energy – innovations that would allow us to recreate the power of the stars on our own planet. Filled with the remarkable stories of the scientists and entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to a seemingly impossible dream, The Star Builders is an unmissable insight into the future of life – and space – on our planet.

About Arthur:

Dr Arthur Turrell holds a PhD in plasma physics from Imperial College London, for which he won the Atomic Weapons Establishment thesis prize. From 2013 to 2015 he worked as a Doctoral Prize Fellow in the plasma physics group at Imperial alongside renowned starbuilders such as Professor Steve Cowley, former head of EURATOM and former CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Since 2021, Arthur has worked at the Office for National Statistics, as the Deputy Director of the Data Science Campus. He previously worked at the Bank of England where he applied his scientific training to questions about the macro-economy, most recently being featured alongside several Nobel prize-winners in articles on how to ‘rebuild macroeconomics’.

About Melanie:

Dr Melanie Windridge is a specialist in fusion energy who helps people see the value and opportunities of fusion to society and their businesses. She is a plasma physicist, speaker, writer… with a taste for adventure. Melanie has a PhD in plasma physics (fusion energy) from Imperial College London, is Communications Consultant for privately-funded fusion company Tokamak Energy and Founder of Fusion Energy Insights. She was previously UK Director of the Fusion Industry Association. Melanie is the author of Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights and Star Chambers: the race for fusion power. She hosts a blog, Science at Extremes, on her website and writes for Forbes online.

December 21st, 2021

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Common Fusion Approaches

Magnetic confinement: Plasma is heated to 100 million °C or more, then squeezed and held in place by strong magnetic fields, allowing many fusion reactions to occur. (Example: tokamaks, stellarators)

Inertial confinement: Tiny fuel pellets are struck by powerful lasers. The outer layer explodes outward, compressing the core to fusion conditions for a few nanoseconds, producing a brief but intense pulse of energy from each pellet. (Example: National Ignition Facility)

Hybrid systems: Combine compression (e.g., from lasers, plasma pistons, or mechanical impact) with moderate magnetic fields to reduce energy losses and improve confinement.

Electrostatic fusion: Uses high electric potentials to accelerate ions toward a central reaction zone, causing them to collide at high energies and fuse. The ions are guided and confined by electric fields rather than magnets, creating a compact environment for fusion reactions.

  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT THE FIA
    • STAFF
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • JOB OPPORTUNITIES
  • POLICY
    • PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
    • REGULATORY CERTAINTY
    • SCALING THE INDUSTRY
  • NEWS
    • FROM THE FIA
      • BLOG
      • INDUSTRY REPORTS
      • FUSION NEWS VIDEOS
    • FUSION IN THE NEWS
    • FOR THE MEDIA
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • FULL MEMBERS
    • AFFILIATE MEMBERS
    • EDUCATION & RESEARCH PARTNERS
  • EVENTS
    • EVENTS
    • FUSION SUPPLY CHAIN TRADE SHOW
    • UK FUSION FORUM 2026
  • LEARN
    • ABOUT FUSION ENERGY
    • FAQ
    • FUSION VS. FISSION
    • PATH TO COMMERCIAL FUSION
  • CONTACT