AboutThe scientific area of Plasma Physics, Lasers and Nuclear Fusion

  • About
Luís Oliveira e Silva

Foreword by Luís Lemos Alves, Coordinator

The area of Plasmas, Lasers and Nuclear Fusion is one of the five scientific areas of the Department of Physics of IST. The area provides the framework to the recruitment and promotion of the faculty members of IST experts in our fields of research: Basic Plasma Science, Low Temperature Plasma Science and Engineering, The Plasma Science of Magnetic Fusion, Plasma Physics at High Energy Density, and Space and Astrophysical Plasmas. Our research is mostly developed at the Institute of Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN), a research unit (RU) of IST evaluated as “Exceptional” (2014, the sole RU of IST and the sole RU in Physics to receive this mark) and as “Excellent” (2019 and 2021, when IPFN renewed its contract of Associate Laboratory of FCT).

The scientific area was formerly coordinated by Professor Carlos Matos Ferreira (until 2013) and by Professor Luís Oliveira e Silva (2014-2018).

It comprises 22 faculty members, of which:

  • 6 are Full Professors or Coordinator Researchers
  • 2 are Associate Professors with "Agregação" or Principal Researchers with "Habilitação"
  • 3 are Associate Professors
  • 1 is Assistant Professors with "Agregação"
  • 6 are Assistant Professors or Assistant Researchers (4 with tenure; 2 in tenure track)
  • 4 are Invited Assistant Professors

Our goal is to contribute to the national and international recognition of the Physics Department and of IST by being a top Department in Europe and in the World in our fields of expertise. We aim to provide an exciting academic environment that exposes our students to the most cutting edge scientific and technological problems, fosters the careers of our faculty members, and projects the impact of our research to the scientific community and to the society in general.