IFE-STAR 2025 Conference

IFE-STAR 2025 Conference Wrap-Up

Breckenridge, Colorado
April 7 - 11, 2025

The 2025 IFE-STAR Conference brought together a passionate and growing community of scientists, engineers, industry leaders, and students to push the boundaries of inertial fusion energy (IFE). Set in the mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado, the conference offered a mix of cutting-edge science, collaborative networking, and unforgettable experiences.

A Week of Discovery and Innovation
The technical program was packed with exciting presentations and posters highlighting the latest advances in laser-driven fusion, target design, and fusion-enabling technologies. From new approaches to achieving high-yield fusion reactions to smart systems for tracking targets in real time, the energy and momentum behind IFE were on full display.

Highlights spanned many topics currently under investigation by the IFE hubs and their more than 30 partner institutions, including national laboratories, academia, the private sector, and international organizations. The IFE scientific community is forging ahead in addressing the R&D questions outlined in the Basic Research Needs workshop report. Participants were delighted to hear the recent news that the National Ignition Facility at LLNL, supported by NNSA, conducted a successful experiment in which they achieved a record yield and a scientific energy gain exceeding 4.

Collaboration at the Core
The conference wasn’t just about sharing research—it was about building the future of fusion together. The IFE-STAR ecosystem is helping to connect people across national labs, universities, and private industry, with a strong focus on training the next generation of fusion scientists and engineers. Dr. Dustin Froula, Director of the IFE-STAR Ecosystem initiative established by DOE-FES, emphasized just how important these partnerships are for scaling up innovation and growing the workforce needed to power the future. The IFE Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (IFE-SURE) and IFE-50 were highlighted as critical next steps.

Posters, People, and Mountain Views
The evening poster sessions quickly became a crowd favorite—informal, lively, and buzzing with conversation. Attendees had the chance to dive deep into topics like fusion diagnostics and advanced laser systems while making new connections and sparking ideas for future collaboration. Over 35 students presented at the conference and five students won awards for their innovative work.

Building Connections Beyond the Sessions
Outside the formal sessions, the conference created space for meaningful, informal connections. Highlights included a mentor/mentee lunch, where 18 students and early-career scientists engaged with mentors over shared meals and conversation. Attendees explored Breckenridge’s scenic charm while forming cross-institutional relationships and sparking ideas for future collaborations.

 
In Gratitude to our Sponsors
The 2025 IFE-STAR Conference was made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. We are grateful to Xcimer Energy Corporation, General Atomics, Prism Computational Sciences, Amplitude, Coherent, Blue Laser Fusion, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science. Their commitment to advancing inertial fusion energy research helped create an environment of innovation, collaboration, and community in Breckenridge.
 

What’s Next?
We’re already looking ahead to the next IFE-STAR Conference, which will take place in Washington, DC—date to be announced soon. We can’t wait to build on the momentum from Breckenridge and continue driving progress in IFE. Stay tuned for updates!

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