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The IEEE Nuclear Plasma Science Society (NPSS) Fusion Technology Standing Committee is pleased to announce that the nomination period for the 2026 Fusion Technology Award is now open. The award will be presented during the 32nd Symposium on Fusion Engineering (SOFE 2027) in San Diego, California, in June 2027.

The Fusion Technology Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to research and development in the field of fusion technology. The awards each consist of a USD 3,000 cash prize, a plaque, and an invited talk at SOFE 2027.

Equal consideration will be given to innovation across all fusion approaches and outstanding leadership in the fusion community. Any person, regardless of Society affiliation, is eligible for the award, with the exception that no current member of the IEEE/NPSS Standing Committee on Fusion Technology may be nominated. The nomination package should be sent to the Fusion Technology Committee Awards Chair, Dr. Trey Gebhart (@email), and it should consist of a letter describing the technical contributions on which the nomination is recommended and a current resume of the candidate. Other supporting endorsements are encouraged.

For more detailed information on eligibility criteria, the basis for judging, nomination process and a list of past award recipients, please visit this IEEE webpage and go to the “Fusion Technology Awards” section. The nomination deadline for the 2026 Fusion Technology Award is 13 March 2026.

A new exhibition at the ATOM Museum, Moscow, celebrates the life and work of Evgeny Velikhov, a major figure in the history of fusion research and, as Mikhail Gorbachev’s friend and scientific advisor, one of the driving forces behind the creation of ITER.

“Evgeny Velikhov was an extraordinary individual, with a brilliant mind, unwavering integrity, and visionary outlook,” wrote ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi in his message to staff and stakeholders after the scientist's passing in 2024, just months before his 90th birthday.

The multimedia exposition, At the Center of Science and Society: Evgeny Velikhov, retraces the extraordinary career of this eminent Soviet and Russian scientist and polymath. Appointed scientific director of fusion research in the USSR in 1973, Velikhov played a central role in advancing the field. He later led the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, first as director and subsequently as president. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Chair of the ITER Council and was later appointed an Honorary Member in recognition of his lasting contributions.

The exposition runs from 3 February to 2 March 2026. Further information is available here.

--Source: ATOM Museum, Moscow

In Season 3, Episode 6 of the ITER podcast, we meet the "guardian of fusion"—the extraordinary blanket system that shields our "star in a bottle." Guided by warrior and dragon imagery inspired by Chinese legend, and some very down to earth engineering, podcast hosts Kruti Fayot and Julia Ponomareva explore how ITER’s blanket and tungsten first wall protect the machine, tame furious neutrons, and quietly turn a raging plasma into something as familiar as hot water in a kettle.

Mechanical engineer Jinke Fu introduces Nezha, a mythical Chinese rebel guardian, while ITER experts Ryan Hunt, Sophie Carpentier, and Silvia di Sarra reveal how real world guardians are built: from armor like tungsten tiles and ultraprecise assembly to world record plasma shots and global collaborations from EAST to WEST. If you’ve ever wondered how you stop particles that could reach the Moon and back in seconds, or why choosing the “right” wall material is like choosing a life partner, this episode is for you—part myth, part cutting-edge science, and a love letter to the star that started it all: the Sun.

Tune into Episode 6, "The Guardian of Fusion," on the ITER website's podcast page or open it directly here. You can also find this episode and all past episodes of the ITER podcast at Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean. 

Candidates holding a PhD in science, technology, or engineering whose expertise aligns with the needs of the ITER project may be eligible for a two-year postdoctoral position at the ITER Organization.

For the 2026 recruitment campaign, seventeen research topics have been published across a wide range of fields, including integrated plasma scenario design and transport modelling, artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies for fusion systems, diagnostics calibration and validation, and robotics and automated handling (see the full list here).

Selected fellows will work closely with ITER specialists during a two-year appointment and contribute to the project through original, cutting-edge research.

The current selection process aims to fill eight postdoctoral fellowships—five Monaco-ITER fellowships and three Korea-ITER fellowships—and to establish a reserve list of qualified candidates for future openings.

The deadline for applications is 1 March 2026. To apply, see the JOBS page of the ITER website, or consult the Postdoctoral Fellowships page for detailed information about the program. 

Watch as one-ninth of the ITER vacuum vessel is lifted out of tooling and lowered into the machine assembly pit. The operation—which took place over two days in January—tested, once again, the accuracy of the metrology system and the navigation skills of the assembly team (read more here). Vacuum vessel sector module #8 joins modules #5, #6 and #7 to form nearly one-half of the ITER plasma chamber. Three more of these incredible "lifts" are expected this year.

Watch the video on the ITER YouTube channel.