{"id":636002,"date":"2025-01-16T09:11:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T14:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=636002"},"modified":"2025-06-25T09:54:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T13:54:02","slug":"laboratory-for-laser-energetics-launches-ife-star-ecosystem-636002","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/laboratory-for-laser-energetics-launches-ife-star-ecosystem-636002\/","title":{"rendered":"Laboratory for Laser Energetics launches IFE-STAR ecosystem, workforce development initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

An annual conference and summer student programs will foster partnerships among academia, national labs, and the private sector.<\/h2>\n

The Ä¢¹½´«Ã½<\/a>\u2019s Laboratory for Laser Energetics<\/a> (LLE) has been awarded a $2.25 million grant over three years from the US Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences. This funding establishes the Inertial Fusion Energy Science and Technology Accelerated Research (IFE-STAR) ecosystem<\/a> that brings together academia, national laboratories, and the private sector to develop a clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy source, built on US leadership in inertial fusion.<\/p>\n

Inertial fusion energy (IFE) is a cutting-edge technology that mimics the sun\u2019s energy production process by fusing atomic nuclei under extreme conditions. Unlike traditional nuclear energy, IFE offers the promise of base-load energy with minimal radioactive waste, and a nearly limitless fuel supply. To more rapidly advance the nation\u2019s path to fusion energy, the IFE-STAR ecosystem will advance fusion science and technology by building a national network of coordination and collaboration, while developing the scientists and engineers to grow and sustain the inertial fusion energy community.<\/p>\n

The IFE-STAR program<\/a> brings together three leading research institutions, each spearheading a unique hub to advance IFE science and technology:<\/p>\n