The Columbia Fusion Research Center hosted a new two-day mini-course targeting professionals in the policy, journalism, business, and investment communities on June 17th and 18th, 2026.
Fusion energy leaders and interested professionals gathered at Columbia University on June 17–18 for the inaugural Fusion Energy Mini Course for Professionals, a two-day program designed to provide policymakers, investors, journalists, business leaders, and other professionals with a comprehensive introduction to the rapidly advancing fusion sector.
Organized by the Columbia Fusion Research Center and the Clean Air Task Force, the course featured presentations from leading experts on the scientific foundations of magnetic, inertial, and alternative fusion approaches, as well as sessions examining the regulatory, governmental, financial, and public-opinion factors shaping the industry's future. Speakers included Carlos Paz-Soldan, Riccardo Betti, Piero Martin, Jeffrey Merrifield, Abigail Remler, Diana Grandas, Matt Trevithick, Derek Sutherland, and Seth Hoedl.
The program also provided participants with opportunities to connect beyond the classroom through a networking reception and guided tours of the Columbia Plasma Physics Laboratory, offering a firsthand look at fusion research underway at the university. The course concluded with a visit to Thea Energy in Kearny, New Jersey, where attendees explored how private-sector companies are working to commercialize fusion technologies.
Organizers said the combination of technical instruction, policy, and investment perspectives, laboratory access, and industry engagement reflected the growing momentum behind fusion energy and the increasing demand for informed leadership across the field.
