The American Physical Society Honors Two General Atomics Scientists with Prestigious Fellowship Award

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 9, 2025) - Two of San Diego's leading fusion researchers have been awarded 2024 Fellowships by the American Physical Society (APS), the principal physics organization in the United States and one of the largest worldwide. David Humphreys, Ph.D., and Emily Belli, Ph.D., both from General Atomics, were honored by the APS Division of Plasma Physics for their groundbreaking contributions to fusion energy research. The last General Atomics scientist to receive this prestigious distinction was in 2022.

"We are incredibly proud of Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Belli," said Wayne Solomon, vice president of Magnetic Fusion Energy for the General Atomics Energy Group "Their tireless dedication to advancing fusion energy science is both essential and inspiring, not only to our team but to researchers around the world."

Fusion, the process that powers the sun, is widely viewed as a potential source of virtually unlimited, sustainable energy. Achieving this vision requires scientists to heat, confine, and control plasma-an ultra-hot soup of charged particles-in a device such as a tokamak. Developing the expertise and technology to maintain stable, long-duration plasma conditions remains one of the greatest challenges in fusion research.

For more than 30 years, Humphreys' work has focused on creating sustained and reliable methods to control the plasma environment in tokamak-based power plants. His contributions to plasma control supported the design and analysis of ITER, the large international fusion experiment under construction in France, resulting in critical design modifications that will enable robust operational performance in the future. Humphreys also advanced the theory of halo current dynamics, which explains how a plasma can tear itself apart in a "disruption" and generate forces that can potentially damage internal tokamak components.

"I'm deeply honored by this recognition," said David Humphreys, director of Magnetic Fusion Energy Operations at General Atomics. "My accomplishments are the result of vital collaborations with a diverse community-experts in plasma physics, control engineering, mathematics, computer science, and artificial intelligence. They are the heart of this industry, and I share this award with them."

Belli's research centers on understanding and solving key challenges in fusion energy. By using supercomputers to model turbulence and impurities in plasma, her team identifies factors that can reduce fusion efficiency and works to mitigate them. This research not only improves current experimental results but also guides the design of future reactors.

"I'm so grateful for the mentors, colleagues, and collaborators who have supported me throughout my career," said Emily Belli, a theoretical physicist for Magnetic Fusion Energy at General Atomics. "Fusion energy has been a dream of mine since I first learned about it, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this exciting field."

The APS Fellowship Program recognizes members who have made significant advances in physics-through original research, innovative applications, or exceptional contributions to teaching and leadership. Selection as an APS Fellow is a distinct honor; fewer than one-half of one percent of the Society's membership is elected to Fellowship each year.

For more information on all of the work GA does in researching fusion technology, including that of Humphreys and Belli, go to ga.com/energy-systems-and-products.

About General Atomics

Since the dawn of the atomic age, General Atomics innovations have advanced the state of the art across the full spectrum of science and technology - from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing. Behind a talented global team of scientists, engineers, and professionals, GA's unique experience and capabilities continue to deliver safe, sustainable, economical, and innovative solutions to meet growing global demands.

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