Bio
Dr. Sebastian De Pascuale is a computational plasma physicist in the Power Exhaust & Particle Control research group of the Fusion Energy Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He obtained his Ph.D. (2012) in Physics (Space Plasmas) from the University of Iowa under the advisement of Prof. Craig Kletzing and sponsored by the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship Award. At Grinnell College, he completed his B.A. (2012) in Physics with honors and earned the H. George Apostle Prize.
Sebastian joined ORNL as a postdoctoral research associate in 2018 and became a staff scientist in 2021. His specific research focus is enabling multi-scale simulation using advanced data-driven and reduced modeling techniques, with application areas in the control of a fusion plasma with artificial intelligence and machine learning. He is working to bring the promise of fusion to the energy sector and serves as a co-chair on the Fusion & Fission Education and Outreach Committee to bring the physics of fusion to the public.