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From during his early years at NASA to his current role a researcher and group leader, Peter Fuhr has pushed the boundaries of optical and sensor technology. Fuhr’s path is marked by wacky creativity that can’t confine itself to challenges in a single field. No idea is too far out to try out — and so many of them work that Fuhr has a host of inventions and start-ups under his belt.

The Powerline Conductor Accelerated Testing Facility at ORNL is testing new transmission line technologies to enhance the U.S. power grid's capacity amidst rising demand and climate challenges. 

Aditya Sundararajan of ORNL’s Grid Systems Architecture group was elevated to senior status within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 

Kathryn McCarthy, director of the US ITER Project at the Department of Energy’s 91����, has been awarded the 2024 E. Gail de Planque Medal by the American Nuclear Society.

A study led by the Department of Energy’s 91���� details how artificial intelligence researchers created an AI model to help identify new alloys used as shielding for housing fusion applications components in a nuclear reactor. The findings mark a major step towards improving nuclear fusion facilities.

A new technical collaboration program at the Department of Energy’s 91���� will help businesses develop and launch electric grid innovations. Sponsored by the Transformer Resilience and Advanced Components program in DOE’s Office of Electricity, the initiative will provide companies with access to national laboratory resources, enabling them to capture market opportunities. 

ORNL is the lead partner on five research collaborations with private fusion companies in the 2024 cohort of the Innovation Network for FUSion Energy, or INFUSE, program. These collaborative projects are intended to resolve technical hurdles and develop enabling technologies to accelerate fusion energy research in the private sector.

Researchers at ORNL recently demonstrated an automated drone-inspection technology at EPB of Chattanooga that will allow utilities to more quickly and easily check remote power lines for malfunctions, catching problems before outages occur.

John joined the MPEX project in 2019 and has served as project manager for several organizations within ORNL.

The award was given in “recognition of his lifelong leadership in fusion technology for plasma fueling systems in magnetically confined fusion systems.”