Programme


Keynote talks

Speaker: Alba Cervera (Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain)
Title: Quantum-HPC integration: state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities

Speaker: Carolin Nuehrenberg (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Germany)
Title: Gyrokinetic simulations for stellarator plasmas

Speaker: Hiroyuki Yamaguchi (National Institute for Fusion Science, Japan)
Title: Design activity of a flexible stellarator in National Institute for Fusion Science

Speaker: Jaime Marian (University of California Los Angeles, USA)
Titile: Multiscale materials modeling for simulating the response of structural materials to fusion reactor conditions

Speaker: Misun Min (Argonne National Laboratory, USA)
Title: Exascale MHD simulations for liquid metal fusion blankets

Speaker: Pablo Rodriguez-Fernandez (MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, USA)
Title: On the use of surrogate-based optimization methods

Invited talks

  • Alvaro Martinez Pechero (University of Oxford): OXFORD-UMAT, the Crystal Plasticity code used to address STEP materials
  • Álex Panera Álvarez (DIFFER): Pellet Fueling: AI-Enhanced Surrogate Modeling and Integrated Modeling
  • C. Zhu, H. Liu, G. Yu, G. Zhuang (University of Science and Technology of China): Optimizing Stellarators with Hidden Symmetry
  • Evgeny Adishchev (Next Step Fusion s.a.r.l.): Reinforcement Learning Controllers for Fusion Scenario Development and Control
  • Jesús José Domínguez-Palacios Durán (Fiat Lux LLC): Extended-MHD modeling of a Wide Pedestal Quiescent H-mode DIII-D plasma including multispecies collisional effects
  • Tyler Brandes (Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison): Modelling MHD Pressure Drop in Pumped Liquid Metal Fusion Blankets

Contributed talks

  • Abhishek Tiwari (Indian Institue of Science): Zonal flow suppression of turbulent transport in the optimized stellarators W7-X and QSTK
  • Albert Civit-Bertran (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya): Analysis of 3D non-linear MHD simulations of core density collapse event in LHD plasma
  • Alberto Bottino (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics): Time evolving control variates in global particle-in-cell simulations
  • Alberto Fraile (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), BIST & CSIC): High velocity impacts on plasma facing materials. Vacancies, He, He bubbles, and polycrystalline targets
  • Álvaro López Cazalilla (BSC): The role and efficiency of machine-learning interatomic potential in the hydrogen-induced bubble growth in metals
  • Arkady Serikov (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): Pitagora HPC neutronics computations for the nuclear safety and radwaste issues of the IFMIF-DONES Target Assembly
  • Augusto Maidana (BSC): Porting ERO2.0 to exascale GPU architectures
  • Cristian Diego Denton Zanello (Universidad de Alicante): Molecular dynamics study of He bubbles in FeCr
  • Daniel Ward (Hartree Centre, STFC, UKRI): Progress towards a scalable liquid-metal MHD solver in MFEM for fusion breeding blankets
  • E.d.D. Zapata Cornejo (MIT PSFC): Discovering features for confinement regime operational spaces using classification and Bayesian optimization
  • Edoardo Carrà (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics): GPU Acceleration of Hybrid Fluid-Kinetic Simulations of Runaway Electrons in JOREK
  • Efstratios Koukoutsis (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens): Quantum Simulation of Transient Scattering: From Dielectrics to Plasmas
  • Fabio Calzavara (Politecnico di Torino): Systematic Monte Carlo analysis of binary compounds for neutron shielding in a compact nuclear fusion reactor
  • Federico Ledda (Politecnico di Torino, Department of Applied Science and Technology): Atomistic simulation framework for radiation damage assessment in YBCO
  • Foteini Litovoli (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology): Stochastic modeling and numerical analysis of the DEMO divertor via 3D DSMC simulations
  • Giorgio Daneri (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics): GPU Acceleration and Portability of the TRIMEG Code for Global Gyrokinetic Plasma Simulations using OpenMP
  • Giorgio Lo Presti (INFN-LNS / CNR-IMM): Fast dimensional extensions of multicomponent 0D plasma models for multiscale applications to fusion reactors
  • Henrique Bergallo Rocha (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority): New Developments in MFEM-Enabled MOOSE Simulations
  • Jie Huang (Southwestern Institute of Physics): Integrated 3D Nonlinear Simulation of Edge Localized Mode Dynamics in the HL-3 Tokamak
  • Jintong Wu (University of Helsinki): Unveiling long-term defect evolution in fusion materials: a dynamic coupling of Molecular Dynamics with Object Kinetic Monte Carlo for iron and tungsten
  • Kalp Pandya (Junior Research Fellow at Smart Energy Learning Center): Fourier Neural Operator based Surrogate Modeling for Accelarated Plasma Simulations
  • Libin Varghesen (Dhirubhai Ambani University (DAU): An Adaptive Self-Aware Sorting Mechanism for Improving Performance of Particle-In-Cell Codes
  • Mary Kate Chessey (BSC): Atomic-scale study of defect-induced thermal conductivity degradation in irradiated tungsten using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and the Creation Relaxation Algorithm (CRA)
  • Niccolò Di Eugenio (Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino): Machine-Learning Interatomic Potentials for Radiation Damage Analysis in High-Temperature Superconductors
  • Óscar Amaro (1 GoLP/Instituto de Plasma e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa): Extracting Plasma Dispersion Relations using a Quantum Algorithm
  • Pedro, J. Delgado (Consorcio IFMIF-DONES): Development of a Fe-C fusion ready potential within the NEP approach
  • Pranav Puthan (UK Atomic Energy Authority, Culham campus): Analysis and Validation of Liquid-Metal Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Turbulence for Multiphysics Fusion Applications

First day – 24 February 2026
Timezone CET (Central European Time)

TimeRoom 1Room 2
09:00-09:15Welcome
Opening Plenary Session
09:15-10:00Alba Cervera (BSC, Spain): Quantum-HPC integration: state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities
10:00-10:45Carolin Nührenberg (IPP, Germany): Gyrokinetic simulations for stellarator plasmas
10:45-11:10Break
Parallel session: Advanced Numerical Modelling of Core Plasma Turbulence and MHD DynamicsParallel session: Atomistic and Machine-Learning Modelling of Radiation Damage in Fusion Materials
11:10-11:30Alberto Bottino (IPP, Germany): Time evolving control variates in global particle-in-cell simulationsJintong Wu (UH, Finland):
Unveiling long-term defect evolution in fusion materials: a dynamic coupling of Molecular Dynamics with Object Kinetic Monte Carlo for iron and tungsten
11:30-11:50Albert Civit-Bertran (UPC, Spain): Analysis of 3D non-linear MHD simulations of core density collapse event in LHD plasmaMary Kate Chessey (BSC, Spain):
Atomic-scale study of defect-induced thermal conductivity degradation in irradiated tungsten using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and the Creation Relaxation Algorithm (CRA)
11:50-12:10Abhishek Tiwari (IISc, India): Zonal flow suppression of turbulent transport in the optimized stellarators W7-X and QSTKÁlvaro López Cazalilla (BSC, Spain): The role and efficiency of machine-learning interatomic potential in the hydrogen-induced bubble growth in metals
12:10-12:30Jie Huang (SWIP, China): Integrated 3D Nonlinear Simulation of Edge Localized Mode Dynamics in the HL-3 TokamakNiccolò Di Eugenio (PoliTo, Italy): Machine-Learning Interatomic Potentials for Radiation Damage Analysis in High-Temperature Superconductors
12:30-14:00Lunch Break
Parallel session: Monte Carlo Neutronics for Fusion Reactor Safety and ShieldingParallel session: Algorithmic and Machine-Learning Acceleration of Plasma Simulations
14:00-14:20Arkady Serikov (KIT, Germany): Pitagora HPC neutronics computations for the nuclear safety and radwaste issues of the IFMIF-DONES Target AssemblyLibin Varghese (DAU, India): An Adaptive Self-Aware Sorting Mechanism for Improving Performance of Particle-In-Cell Codes
14:20-14:40Fabio Calzavara (PoliTo, Italy): Systematic Monte Carlo analysis of binary compounds for neutron shielding in a compact nuclear fusion reactorKalp Pandya (DAU, India): Fourier Neural Operator based Surrogate Modeling for Accelarated Plasma Simulations
14:40-14:45Short break to change rooms
Plenary session: AI-Driven Scenario Development and Control in Fusion Plasmas
14:45-15:15Evgeny Adishchev (NSF, Luxembourg): Reinforcement Learning Controllers for Fusion Scenario Development and Control
15:15-15:45Alex Panera Alvarez (DIFFER, Netherlands): Pellet Fueling: AI-Enhanced Surrogate Modeling and Integrated Modeling
15:45-16:05Break
Parallel session: Reduced, Stochastic, and Data-Driven Modelling of Fusion Plasma RegimesParallel session: GPU Acceleration and Exascale Portability of Fusion Simulation Codes
16:05-16:25Foteini Litovoli (KIT, Germany): Stochastic modeling and numerical analysis of the DEMO divertor via 3D DSMC simulationsAugusto Maidana (BSC, Spain): Porting ERO2.0 to exascale GPU architectures
16:25-16:45Giorgio Lo Presti (INFN-LNS, CNR-IMM, Italy): Fast dimensional extensions of multicomponent 0D plasma models for multiscale applications to fusion reactorsEdoardo Carrà (IPP, Germany): GPU Acceleration of Hybrid Fluid-Kinetic Simulations of Runaway Electrons in JOREK
16:45-17:05Enrique Zapata Cornejo (MIT PSFC, USA): Discovering features for confinement regime operational spaces using classification and Bayesian optimizationDaneri, Giorgio (IPP, Germany): GPU Acceleration and Portability of the TRIMEG Code for Global Gyrokinetic Plasma Simulations using OpenMP
17:05-17:10Short break to change rooms
17:10-17:55Jaime Marian (UCLA, USA): Multiscale materials modeling for simulating the response of structural materials to fusion reactor conditions

Second day – 25 February 2026
Timezone CET (Central European Time)

TimeRoom 1Room 2
09:00-09:05Welcome Day 2
Parallel session: Advances in Stellarator Design and Optimization
09:05-09:50Hiroyuki Yamaguchi (NIFS, Japan): Design activity of a flexible stellarator in National Institute for Fusion Science
09:50-10:20C. Zhu (USTC, China): Optimizing Stellarators with Hidden Symmetry
10:20-10:40Break
Parallel session: Emerging Algorithms and Frameworks for Fusion Multiphysics SimulationsParallel session: Atomistic Modelling of Radiation Damage and Helium Bubble Dynamics in Fusion Materials
10:40-11:00Efstratios Koukoutsis (NTUA, Greece): Quantum Simulation of Transient Scattering: From Dielectrics to PlasmasFederico Ledda (PoliTo, Italy): Atomistic simulation framework for radiation damage assessment in YBCO
11:00-11:20Óscar Amaro (IST, Lisbon): Extracting Plasma Dispersion Relations using a Quantum AlgorithmPedro J. Delgado (Consorcio IFMIF-DONES, Spain): Development of a Fe-C fusion ready potential within the NEP approach
11:20-11:40Henrique Bergallo Rocha (UKAEA, UK): New Developments in MFEM-Enabled MOOSE SimulationsAlberto Fraile (ICN2, Spain): High velocity impacts on plasma facing materials. Vacancies, He, He bubbles, and polycrystalline targets
11:40-12:00Daniel Ward (STFC, UK): Progress towards a scalable liquid-metal MHD solver in MFEM for fusion breeding blanketsCristian Diego Denton Zanello (UA, Spain): Molecular dynamics study of He bubbles in FeCr
12:00-12:20Pranav Puthan (UKAEA, UK): Analysis and Validation of Liquid-Metal Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Turbulence for Multiphysics Fusion Applications
12:20-13:50Lunch Break
Plenary session: High-Fidelity MHD Modelling for Fusion Plasmas and Liquid-Metal Systems
13:50-14:35Misun Min (ANL, USA): Exascale MHD Simulations for Liquid Metal Fusion Blankets
14:35-15:05Tyler Brandes (UW–Madison, USA): Modelling MHD Pressure Drop in Pumped Liquid Metal Fusion Blankets
15:05-15:35Jesús José Domínguez-Palacios Durán (Fiat Lux LLC, USA): Extended-MHD modeling of a Wide Pedestal Quiescent H-mode DIII-D plasma including multispecies collisional effects
15:35-16:05Break
Closing Plenary Session
16:05-16:35Alvaro Martinez Pechero (Oxford, UK): OXFORD-UMAT, the Crystal Plasticity code used to address STEP materials
16:35-17:20Pablo Rodriguez-Fernandez (MIT-PSFC, USA): On the use of surrogate-based optimization methods to accelerate transport modeling in magnetic confinement fusion devices
17:20-17:30Closing