RENEW IGNITE Fusion Energy
Updated:
ORNL has partnered with six academic institutions in Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri to design special fusion-focused curricula informed by the needs of private fusion industry.
The Initiatives to Grow New Innovate Talent to Enable Fusion Energy program, or IGNITE Fusion Energy, is a multi-institutional initiative that brings together fusion professionals from ORNL, universities, and private fusion industry to educate and train the fusion workforce of the future through student mentoring, hands-on professional experience, specialized curriculum development and an emphasis on a multi-disciplinary approach to fusion energy science.
IGNITE Fusion Energy is led by Peng Zhang at Tennessee Tech University, in collaboration with Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, Southern Adventist University, Missouri University of Science and Technology and University of Tennessee – Knoxville. ORNL serves as a bridge between the partner universities and 11 private fusion companies, fostering collaborations to leverage collective strengths for fusion workforce development.
Learn more about IGNITE Fusion Energy, including internship opportunities, on the IGNITE program website.
ORNL Contributors
PI
Co-PI
Curriculum Development
Outreach Activities
Mentorship Coordination
Partnership Activities
Fusion Innovation Bootcamp
The IGNITE Fusion Energy program is also launching the Fusion Innovation Bootcamp, an entrepreneurship and innovation-focused training program for students to engage with fusion industry professionals, national lab researchers and university faculties through lectures, panels, hands-on sessions and pitch presentations. The bootcamp is intended to attract students from all academic disciplines – both within and beyond traditional STEM fields – to fusion, and encourage them to expand their knowledge and creativity to tackle real-world challenges in fusion applications.
The inaugural bootcamp will be held June 15-26, 2026 at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, organized by Joy Fan, Louise Ferris, Arnold Lumsdaine, Arturo Dominguez, and Prof. Ranganathan "Nathan" Parthasarathy, with an expanded program in summer 2027. More information on future programs to come.