“Now is an incredibly exciting time for plasma science and technology”
“Now is an incredibly exciting time for plasma science and technology, with opportunities for basic science, including understanding the most energetic events in the universe, alongside a wealth of plasma applications, including fusion energy, plasma processing of materials and plasma medicine.”
—Troy Carter, director of the UCLA Plasma Science and Technology Institute
and professor of Physics and Astronomy
The Plasma Science and Technology Institute (PSTI) at UCLA represents the largest university-based research effort in the world related to the forth state of matter known as plasma. It is an Organized Research Unit involving 36 faculty and about 150 researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students from a variety of departments across the UCLA campus.
Topics covered within the PSTI include fusion energy, space and astrophysical plasmas, advanced accelerators and radiation sources, plasma-materials interactions, and space propulsion.
Unparalleled in its combination of breadth and depth, the PSTI offers unique opportunities in research and education.
UCLA has been at the forefront of research and education in plasma science for nearly half a century. Our faculty have made seminal contributions including creating the field of plasma-based acceleration, leading the development of particle-in-cell methods for plasma physics computation, and contributing innovative ideas for confining and diagnosing high-temperature plasmas for fusion energy applications.
Recent UCLA winners of the prestigious prizes in plasma science.
Giving to PTSI
The Plasma Science and Technology Institute is the engine for significant advances in plasma physics that can affect our lives in many ways. These areas range from applied settings such as fusion energy, which is one of the most promising ways to provide electricity for generations to come, to making use of plasmas for technological applications such as semi-conductor production, to exploring and understanding our space environment.
Our research serves as the basis for discovery and innovation, and stimulates our state, national and global economy in the process. Our reputation for excellence in teaching and research is bolstered by collaboration among researchers in the the physical sciences and engineering.
Maintaining PSTI’s position as one of the preeminent research facilities for plasma physics is of the utmost importance in order to reap the benefits of our research and speed the pace of discovery. There is renewed urgency to invest in PSTI to enable our faculty and students to continue to be leaders in the field of plasma physics.
Your generous gift will enable us to expand the boundaries of knowledge and continue educating the most promising young scientists who will make the groundbreaking discoveries of tomorrow.
And your gift, regardless of its size, will have an impact. We hope you will consider investing in the faculty, students and research of the UCLA PSTI.
To learn how you can support Plasma Science and Technology at UCLA, please contact Amber Buggs at amberbuggs@support.ucla.edu or (310) 994-5782.