University of California Davis

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is a top-tier public research university and "Public Ivy" recognized for its academic excellence, expansive campus, and community-driven culture. Spanning over 5,300 acres as the largest UC campus by area, it is integrated into a vibrant, bike-friendly college town near Sacramento.

UC Davis plays a critical role in advancing fusion energy through cutting-edge plasma physics and materials science. A cornerstone of this effort is the Microwave/Millimeter Wave and Plasma Diagnostic Group (MMWPDG), which develops advanced millimeter-wave diagnostics to measure and visualize fusion plasmas. UC Davis researchers and students deploy these innovative tools at major national and international fusion facilities, including DIII-D, NSTX-U, ASDEX-U, W7-X, CHD, KSTAR, and more.

Complementing these diagnostic breakthroughs, campus facilities like the McCormack Lab spearhead vital materials research, investigating how advanced ceramics and ultra-high-temperature materials behave under the extreme thermodynamic conditions of commercial fusion reactors. Through this multi-disciplinary approach spanning Electrical, Mechanical, and Aerospace Engineering, UC Davis actively trains the next generation of fusion scientists while solving the precise engineering hurdles needed to make clean, limit-free fusion energy a commercial reality.