Behind First Light Fusion is a team of over 100 talented scientists, engineers, technicians and business experts. Our team come from a range of backgrounds but are all united by a passion for realising fusion energy at scale.
In the latest installment of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we hear from Dr Francisco Suzuki-Vidala, a former researcher who is now one of our Lead First Light scientists. Find out what excites Francisco most about the future of the fusion industry, and how we collaborate with academics across the country to meet our fusion goals, below.
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1. What is your role at First Light Fusion?
I am Lead Scientist in the Collaborative Experiments group at First Light Fusion. My role is to drive collaborations with academics in the UK and abroad to strengthen First Light’s technical capabilities. This involves identifying specific scientific aspects at FLF that academics can enhance through their research. This might involve, for instance, putting together a joint proposal to gain access to a large-scale facility to perform a test experiment, or designing an experiment which can be performed at our in-house facilities. My role also involves overseeing FLF’s academic sponsorship of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers based at UK universities.
2. What did you do before FLF and why did you want to join the First Light team?
Before First Light, I was an academic for over 15 years. I did research in the field of high-energy density physics and specifically “laboratory astrophysics”. This involved performing experiments with high-power lasers and pulsed-power drivers to understand specific aspects of astrophysical objects such as shocks in supernovas and jets in accretion disks. I joined First Light to broaden my expertise and skills by combining cutting-edge research in inertial confinement fusion with a business focus.
3. What most excites you about the future of fusion energy?
What I find really exciting is the variety of approaches that are rising to the challenge of solving the problem of fusion power. It is testament to the ingenuity of the scientific community that we have been able to come up with so many different solutions, and that there is growing support funding-wise from private investors and governments – who see the potential too.
4. What advice to do you have for someone interested in working in fusion or physics?
Right now is a brilliant time to be working in fusion physics. We have managed to prove that ignition works with the NIF (National Ignition Facility) laser, which is a huge milestone after decades or research. Now we need people not just with talent but also the will to work on very difficult problems which will help us further evolve our understanding of how we can deliver fusion at scale, and use it to produce clean and abundant energy.
5. When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
I am a big fan of movies, especially sci-fi, and music. I haven’t been to a gig in ages though, which is something I plan to fix ASAP!
6. What is your favourite thing about working at First Light?
I am constantly amazed by the breadth of skills and expertise that we have gathered under one roof to work on one problem: solving fusion power with the simplest machine possible. From scientists, to engineers, admin support, physicists and the finance team – it truly is a huge group effort.
