COSAM News Articles 2023 June 2023 MagNET Conference hosted by Auburn’s Department of Physics

2023 MagNET Conference hosted by Auburn’s Department of Physics

Published: 06/27/2023

Auburn University’s Department of Physics recently hosted the 2023 MagNetUS Meeting in Auburn’s Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex and Leach Science Center from June 12 to June 15, 2023. MagNetUS creates an ecosystem for a broad scientific community interested in magnetized plasma research. Plasma is a state of matter that consists of charged particles (ions and electrons), which can respond to external magnetic fields (i.e., become magnetized). Magnetized plasmas are at the heart of numerous important questions ranging from understanding the Sun’s interaction with the Earth’s magnetic field during space weather events to designing modern-day fusion reactors that will provide the world with clean energy.

Auburn University was selected to host this VIP meeting with colleagues from all over the country conducting research in magnetized plasma. The four-day conference was an opportunity for our AU students to showcase their work, expand their network of professional contacts, and learn about cutting-edge research in the magnetized plasma field. Session topics focused on space plasma, fusion energy, and plasma interactions with lasers, materials, and granular particles (or “dust”). Two discussion sessions were dedicated to building the workforce needed for the fast-growing industries enabled by plasma and designing a machine dedicated to the study of the solar wind.

"The conference was electrifying," Professor David A. Schaffner of Bryn Mawr College & Founder of the Small College Plasma Consortium shared. “Great time at MagNet, had my first ever invited talk and it went well despite my nervousness,” Khalil Bryant, PhD Candidate at University of Michigan.

Auburn Physics department was able to showcase their impressive research labs, including the ALEXIS facility (ideal for the study of waves in plasma), the Microgravity lab (dedicated to the study of plasmas and dust in reduced gravity conditions), the CTH facility (a unique fusion experiment), and the MDPX (a facility where plasmas are exposed to highly-controlled strong magnetic fields). Several of these facilities are part of the Auburn Physics Department Magnetized Plasma Research Lab – a Department of Energy collaborative facility, where external users can come and conduct their experiments. One of the main goals of the MagNetUS meeting is to promote such collaborative and user facilities to the greater scientific community by showcasing their capabilities and reporting exciting research results from these labs.

The MagNetUS presentations, poster session, and lab tours were enjoyed by over 70 participants with the majority being graduate students and early-career magnetized plasma professionals from academia, national labs, and industry. Special thanks to the program committee chaired by Jimmy Juno (Princeton Plasma Physics Lab), the MagNetUS leadership chaired by Derek Schaeffer (University of California Los Angeles), the local organizing committee led by our own Edward Thomas, Evdokiya Kostadinova, and Saikat Chakraborty Thakur of Auburn University, and our Physics department volunteers. The conference was sponsored by Auburn University College of Sciences and Mathematics, National Science Foundation EPSCoR program (OIA-1655280, OIA-2148653), and US Department of Energy - Plasma Science Facility (SC-0019176).

More details can be found on the event website.