Private Fusion Research: Opportunities and Challenges in Plasma Science

Recent years have seen a dramatic growth in privately funded fusion activities, which, in the U.S., are now at a scale comparable to the government sponsored program. Work in the private sector has been built on the solid foundations laid down by years of publicly funded research but now offers the potential to expand the field in new directions with a sharp focus on energy applications. This Special Topic is intended to explore future directions for fusion and plasma science in light of the expansion of private fusion research. The collection will feature "Perspective" Manuscripts that provide "unique views on where the field is headed and promising strategies for progress." These papers will describe significant contributions to the ongoing dialog and help researchers take the maximum advantage of the opportunities that this new circumstance offers.

Guest Editors: David Anderson, Martin Greenwald, and Uri Shumlak