This summer, I had the privilege of participating in the SUMTRAIC 2024 summer school at the Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) in Prague, thanks to the support of FuseNet. The event took place from August 26th to September 6th and offered me an immersive experience in nuclear fusion and runaway electrons.

The two-week program was packed with lectures and hands-on collaborative projects. My personal highlight was working with the DREAM code in Python to conduct parametric studies. This allowed me to simulate scenarios related to runaway electrons, helping me better understand their behavior within tokamaks. The work culminated in a 25-minute presentation in front of IPP’s researchers from the fusion division, where I had the opportunity to share my findings and receive valuable feedback.

What made this experience particularly enriching was the balance between theoretical learning and practical application. The fusion community at IPP was incredibly supportive, and I learned a great deal from my interactions with fellow students and experts alike. Moreover, the daily discussions and collaborative tasks helped sharpen my coding and research skills, which will certainly be of immense value in my ongoing academic journey.

Attending SUMTRAIC not only deepened my understanding of fusion energy but also gave me a clearer sense of direction for my future research, especially as I look forward to further work in nuclear fusion and plasma physics. I am extremely grateful to FuseNet for making this experience possible and to the fantastic team at IPP for creating such an inspiring environment.