University of Birmingham joins UK-US alliance to train the fusion energy workforce

The University of Birmingham has joined a new partnership between leading UK universities and the University Fusion Association in the United States, aimed at building the skills and workforce needed for future fusion power plants.

The agreement, signed as a memorandum of understanding, sits within the UK-US Technology Prosperity Deal. It focuses on fusion research, engineering, technology and, above all, developing the people who will be needed as the industry grows.

A transatlantic talent pipeline

Fusion, the process that powers the sun, is one of the most anticipated long-term sources of clean energy, with the potential to provide large amounts of reliable, low-carbon electricity. Turning it into working power stations will need a large, highly skilled workforce that does not yet exist.

The partnership aims to create opportunities to exchange expertise, skills and techniques between the two countries. The US association includes institutions such as Caltech, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, several University of California campuses and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

"Our collaboration highlights the need to develop the people and talent required for a robust, inclusive and diverse fusion workforce over the coming decade and beyond," said Professor Arunodaya Bhattacharya, Chair in Fusion Energy at the University of Birmingham.

Birmingham's specialism

The university is recognised internationally for its work on fusion materials, the metals and components that have to survive the extreme heat and radiation inside a fusion reactor. Professor Bhattacharya said the agreement would help the UK and US create the ecosystem needed for future fusion power plants.

For students in Birmingham, the partnership could open up new routes into an industry that is expected to grow significantly over the coming decades.