Victoria University of Wellington will host a lecture by Dr Joseph Minervini, a global expert on superconductivity from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr Minervini will discuss the role of superconducting magnets in generating power safely from a nuclear fusion reaction.
Globally, there are large public and private investments in developing devices that can efficiently generate power from
a fusion reaction. Superconducting magnets produce efficient and reliable magnetic fields that are crucial to stability
and control during a fusion reaction, and form an integral part of the most promising design concepts for commercial
fusion reactors.
Hosted by the University’s Robinson Research Institute, Dr Minervini’s lecture will cover the current use of
superconducting magnets for fusion devices which can substantially reduce the time between creating an energy positive
fusion process and the resulting power getting on the grid. He will also look at the role of start-up firms in
developing the magnets.
A distinguished lecturer with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) council on Superconductivity,
Dr Minervini has played a leading role in the field of large-scale applications of superconductors for more than 35
years. With over 130 publications, his work has spanned laboratory research to management of engineering groups and
large-scale projects pursuing advanced superconducting and energy technology goals. In 2013, Dr Minervini received the
IEEE Council on Superconductivity Award for Continuing and Sustained Contributions in the Field of Applied
Superconductivity. He has also won the Award for Technical Excellence in Fusion Science and Engineering from the Fusion
Engineering Division of the American Nuclear Society.
When: 5 pm to 6pm, Thursday 7 November
Where: Lecture Theatre 1, Rutherford House, Victoria University of Wellington
Admission: Free public event