The LaserFusion Consortium is pleased to announce its fourth specialized training event: a 5-day research school on “Physics and Technology of Inertial Fusion Energy.” Hosted by the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IPP), the school will take place at École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France, from May 11 to 15, 2026.

The Paris school is designed to be complementary to the recent Jena school, with a continued focus on laser technology and sources, but with particular emphasis on the direct-drive inertial confinement fusion scheme.

The event will consist of a training course for postgraduate students (MSc and PhD candidates) from the LaserFusion partner institutions. It is suited for researchers in physics and engineering who require specialized knowledge of the laser sources and experimental conditions central to fusion energy research.

The programme will include lectures, seminars, and hands-on practice sessions covering:

Lectures on key topics such as Laser Technology, Laser Optical Smoothing, Plasma Optics, Fusion Reactor Design, Laser Architecture for Fusion, and Laser-Plasma Diagnostics.

Seminars addressing specialized subjects including Targets for IFE, Targets Manufacturing, High-Repetition-Rate Laser-Driven Proton Beams, and Lasers for Fusion.

Practical Sessions featuring a Laser Optics Virtual Reality Lab and hands-on simulations using the SMILEI code.

The preliminary flyer of the school can been found here

A limited number of participants from the eight partner Universities/Institutions of the consortium will be selected to attend the school.  Please contact the key person of the respective partner.

More details regarding programme, travel info and accomodation can be found on the event page: https://laserfusion.hmu.gr/activities/bootcamp3/

About LaserFusion: This Erasmus+ project aims to build a strong, interconnected European research community in Laser Inertial Fusion Energy through innovative education and training, uniting expertise from eight leading institutions.

The LaserFusion Consortium Partners:

• Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IPP), France (Host)

• Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (FSU), Germany 

• Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU), Greece (Coordinator)

• Université de Bordeaux (UBx), France

• Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain

• University of York (UoY), United Kingdom

• Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy

• The Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI-ERIC)