"These recognitions highlight the growing respect for fusion"

Ambrogio Fasoli, what does this triple nomination in 2024 mean to you?
It’s a recognition of my career as a scientist, educator, and manager. A recognition coming not only from colleagues within my field but also from those in broader disciplines. While it can be seen as a personal accomplishment, it is also a tribute to the communities I belong to and all the colleagues with whom I have the privilege of collaborating at the Swiss Plasma Center, at EPFL, at EUROfusion, and within the international fusion program in general.

What are the particularities of each of these scientific academies?
Each has very interesting prerogatives and reflects my current geographic and, if I may say, sentimental connections: Switzerland, Europe, and Italy. I am passionate about each of them because they advise the respective governments or entities they represent. The Academia Europaea covers a very broad spectrum, as does the Accademia dei Lincei, with a strong presence of the humanities alongside the sciences, while the SATW is more focused on technology. These diverse approaches all resonate with me.

I defend a science that serves as a vector for peace showing that impermeable borders are nothing more than an unnatural political artifact.

What vision of science do you defend within these academies?
An open, inclusive, ethical science dedicated to improving the well-being of our society, especially for future generations. A science that also serves as a vector for peace, showing that impermeable borders are nothing more than an unnatural political artifact. I am proud to say that the institutions where I have worked and continue to work, starting with EPFL, fully embrace this principle.

Over and above the recognition, what responsibilities does this give you?
I feel responsible for promoting not only my field, plasma physics and fusion, but science as a whole, with an objective approach based on quantitative facts and free from preconceptions. This responsibility extends beyond the borders of our respective countries, with the goal of serving humanity. The influence that these academies can exert is immense, and a person like me can humbly contribute to guiding it in the right direction.

What influence does this confer on you, particularly in the field of fusion research?
Being recognized as an important member of the intellectual community in general emphasizes how fusion has become a respected discipline. It is now our responsibility to leverage this status to advocate for the most appropriate initiatives in order to reach our ultimate goal as quickly as possible: providing society with a safe, universally accessible, practically inexhaustible, and sustainable source of energy.

Fusion relies on integration, and this term concerns not only the scientific and technological elements that must work together, but also the pooling of resources and expertise from around the world.

The SATW’s network of experts, with its slogan "technology for society," is highly action-oriented and focused on dialogue with all stakeholders. What concrete actions need to be taken to advance fusion?
We must be both ambitious and realistic. Fusion relies on integration, and this term concerns not only the scientific and technological elements that must work together but also the pooling of resources and expertise from around the world. The ITER project, which will demonstrate the feasibility of fusion on Earth, is the product of international collaboration and benefits from the knowledge and industrial capacities of much of the world. Extending these collaborations beyond ITER, to the DEMO stage that will demonstrate the ability to produce electricity, seems not only natural but also highly effective in making rapid progress toward the ultimate goal of fusion energy.

What role can Switzerland play in this objective?
Switzerland can continue to play a key role in this collaborative effort through EPFL and its Swiss Plasma Center. This center of excellence is recognized not only for research and development in various fusion fields and their integration but also for its crucial role in addressing a transgenerational challenge that fusion represents: the education and training of future generations.

Brief Bio
• 1964: Born in Milan
• 1993: PhD in Sciences, EPFL’s Best Thesis Award
• 1993-1995: Postdoctoral Researcher at the Joint European Torus (JET), Oxford
• 1997-2001: Assistant Professor, Tenure Track at MIT
• 2001-2008: Associate Professor of Physics at EPFL
• 2008 - Present: Full Professor at EPFL
• 2014-2020: Editor-in-Chief of Nuclear Fusion, the scientific journal of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• 2013–2024: Director of the Swiss Plasma Center at EPFL
• 2020-2024: Associate Vice President for Research at EPFL
• 2024-2025: President of the European Consortium for Fusion Energy (EUROfusion)
• January 1, 2025: Vice President of Academic Research at EPFL

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Three Academies in the Service of Science and Society
The Academia Europaea is a pan-European organization dedicated to scientific excellence across all fields, from the natural sciences to the humanities.
The Accademia dei Lincei, founded in 1603 in Italy, is the oldest scientific academy in the world, encompassing both sciences and humanities.
The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW, Switzerland’s leading technology academy, promotes innovation and provides advice on technological issues.