The EUROfusion General Assembly has elected Radomir Panek as its new Chair, marking a significant step in Europe’s journey towards sustainable fusion energy.
Biography:
Prof. Radomir Panek, born in 1975, is a prominent figure in the field of plasma physics and fusion technology. He obtained both his Master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University, Prague, with specialization in Theoretical Physics. During his studies he spent a number of stays in leading European fusion laboratories.
Prof. Panek has dedicated over two decades to the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), where he has held various key positions. His roles include Head of the COMPASS tokamak installation project (2006-2010), Head of the Tokamak department (2008-2017) and currently, he has been serving as the Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS since 2015. He also leads the COMPASS Upgrade project.
He lectures at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, where he was appointed as an Associate Professor in 2019. Subsequently, he was appointed as a Professor at the Faculty of Nuclear Science and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague in 2023.
Prof. Panek holds prestigious memberships in many committees, boards, and panels. He is the Vice-chair of the Governing Board and Chair of the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) of the European Joint Undertaking Fusion for Energy (F4E) in Barcelona, Spain since 2020. He also served as expert in the ITER Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (ITER STAC), DEMO Programme Steering Committee as well as the Satellite Tokamak Programme Committee (JT60-SA), and several other committees.
As a principal investigator, he has coordinated a number of projects with a total budget over 100 million euros. His teaching and supervision roles extend to various universities, and he has supervised numerous Ph.D. and Master’s students.
The General Assembly is the decision-making body of the EUROfusion consortium consisting of representatives from 31 institutes from 29 European countries. The Chair of the General Assembly plays a pivotal role in guiding EUROfusion’s strategy and collaborative efforts among member states. This leadership is key in advancing fusion research and bringing us closer to fusion as a viable and sustainable energy source.
This appointment follows the impactful tenure of Prof. Ambrogio Fasoli, who will begin his role as EUROfusion Programme Manager on January 1, 2024.
We extend our warmest congratulations to Radomir Panek on his appointment and look forward to his contributions to the field.
