Share on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Yufan Xu won the energy security category at the National Lab Research SLAM. (Photo courtesy of Blaise Douros / Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Written by Story courtesy of the National Research SLAM March 24, 2025 On March 5, Yufan Xu, an associate research physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, competed with 16 other early career researchers at the National Lab Research SLAM in Washington, D.C. He had just three minutes and one slide to present his work, “Can Terminator 2 Help Humanity Unlock Unlimited Fusion Power?”, which won the energy security category.His presentation focused on liquid metals, a critical technology for enabling fusion power. Such a source could provide unlimited energy without waste.“I feel like this is the golden time to develop fusion technology as we’ve been trying to create fusion since the last century,” said Xu. “But right now, the opportunities are better than ever because we have new materials, better superconductor technology and artificial intelligence that can help us to control and diagnose what’s going on inside fusion reactions.”Inside the sun, gravity contains the reaction as hydrogen particles are smashed together, fusing and releasing energy. However, on Earth, scientists must build a sophisticated magnetic cage that remains reliable under extreme heating. Many solid materials will melt, deform and “poison” the fusion reaction.In his talk, Xu compared liquid metals to the T-1000 from the “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” movie: They are shape-shifting and self-repairing. Liquid metals can also remove heat from a fusion device. Xu conducts liquid metal tests to ensure their compatibility and safety with fusion reactors. Laura Berzak Hopkins, associate laboratory director for strategy and partnerships and deputy chief research officer, presents the energy security award to Yufan Xu. (Photo courtesy of Blaise Douros / Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Xu described the National Lab Research SLAM experience as a great way to train public speaking skills and network. “To me, this event was a feast of different, very high-level technology and science,” he said. “We had the chance to actually learn and exchange our thoughts in a very general sense.”He also provided advice for anyone interested in communicating their research: talk about it — a lot.“I was not really a good speaker growing up,” said Xu. “But the more you talk about it, the more you realize what is actually catching people’s attention and what is going on in their minds.”Learn more about the event at the National Lab Research SLAM site. VIDEO: Watch Xu's 2025 National Research SLAM presentation News Category Awards & Recognition Intranet Science Education PPPL is mastering the art of using plasma — the fourth state of matter — to solve some of the world's toughest science and technology challenges. Nestled on Princeton University’s Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, New Jersey, our research ignites innovation in a range of applications including fusion energy, nanoscale fabrication, quantum materials and devices, and sustainability science. The University manages the Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the nation’s single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences. Feel the heat at https://energy.gov/science and https://www.pppl.gov.
