The LaserFusion consortium is pleased to announce its sixth specialized training event, a 5-day research school titled “Laser Fusion School in Plasma Simulation”. The school is hosted by the University of York at the York Plasma Institute (YPI), York, United Kingdom, from February 1 to 5, 2027.

This school complements the earlier training events in Bordeaux, Pisa, Jena, Paris and Prague. It shifts the focus from laser technology and experiments to the computational modelling of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE). The emphasis is on using numerical simulations to support ICF target design and laser–plasma experiments.

The school is a training course for MSc and PhD students from the partner institutions. It is aimed at physics and engineering researchers who need practical skills in plasma simulation codes and in interpreting simulation results.

Programme

Lectures: The course starts with an introduction to the scope of the school, plasma physics and plasma simulation, followed by general coding training. Lectures cover particle-in-cell (PIC) codes, radiation hydrodynamics simulations, Vlasov–Fokker–Planck (VFP) codes, and the use of machine learning in fusion research.

Seminars: A series of specialist seminars will present how simulations support ICF target design and the planning and interpretation of laser–plasma experiments.

Practical Sessions: In small groups, participants will run two hands-on activities: PIC simulations with the WarpX code and radiation-hydrodynamics simulations. There will also be a session on machine-learning applications and a tour of the YPI laboratories. The school ends with a recap session and a final exam.

A limited number of participants will be selected from the eight institutions of the consortium. Interested candidates should contact the key person at their partner institution.

For more information on the programme, flyer, travel and accommodation, please visit https://laserfusion.hmu.gr/activities/bootcamp4/

About LaserFusion
LaserFusion is an Erasmus+ project that aims to connect scientists across Europe into a closely linked research network in Laser Inertial Fusion Energy. It does this through new approaches to education and training, building on the expertise of eight leading institutions.

Partners

Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU), Greece (Coordinator)
University of York (UoY), United Kingdom (Host)
Université de Bordeaux (UBx), France
Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IPP), France
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (FSU), Germany
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy
The Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI-ERIC)