Johan Frenje

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Johan Frenje
Johan Frenje with implosion in background.png
Born1967 (age 57–58)
Sweden
Alma mater Uppsala University (1992 M.Sc.)
Uppsala University (1998 Ph.D.)
Scientific career
FieldsPlasma physics, Applied nuclear physics
Institutions Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Thesis Instrumentation for fusion neutron measurements and experimentation at JET  (1998)

Johan Frenje (born 1967) [1] is a Swedish-American physicist who conducts research in the areas of High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP), Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), and Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE). Frenje works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Senior Research Scientist and currently serves as the Head of the HEDP Division at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center. [2]

Contents

Education and career

Frenje earned a Master's Degree in Engineering Physics from Uppsala University in Sweden in 1992, followed by a Ph.D. in Applied Nuclear Physics in 1998. [3] His work as a graduate student involved the implementation and use of neutron spectrometry in support of the first high-power deuterium-tritium campaign at the Joint European Torus Tokamak in 1997.

Frenje was a Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center from 1999 to 2001, before becoming a permanent member of the research staff. In 2013 he was promoted to Principal Research Scientist. In 2017, Frenje gained a promotion to Senior Research Scientist, as well as Assistant Head of the HEDP Division at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. He later became the Head of the HEDP Division in 2021. [4] [5]

Frenje has been serving on the Executive Committee for the High Temperature Plasma Diagnostics conference since 2014, [6] and has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Institute of Laser Engineering at Osaka University [7] since 2023. From 2015 to 2018, he was the Chair of ICF-HEDP National Ignition Implosion Physics (NISP) Working Group, [8] an effort initiated by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Frenje has also served as Co-Chair and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Omega Laboratory Users Group [9] between 2016 and 2023; and as a member of the Executive Steering Committee for the National Diagnostic Planning effort, [10] initiated by the NNSA, from 2014 to 2023.

With his students, Frenje builds and operates diagnostics in support of the ICF programs at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the National Ignition Facility (NIF), and the Z Pulsed Power Facility. At these ICF facilities he has developed his research in high-energy-density plasma and nuclear physics. [11] [12] In 2022, he and his team contributed to the experimental campaigns at the NIF, achieving ignition and net energy gain. [13] He has also collaborated with companies in the private sector; such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Pacific Fusion, [14] Focused Energy, [15] and Avalanche Energy. [16]

Recognition

As part of the Burning Plasma Team of the National Ignition Facility, [17] Frenje received the John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research [18] from the APS in 2022, [19] given for "...the first laboratory demonstration of a burning deuterium-tritium plasma where alpha heating dominates the plasma energetics". [20] Frenje was also the recipient of the Fusion Power Associates Leadership award in 2023, [21] [22] the 2021, 2022 and 2024 National Nuclear Security Administration Secretary's Honor Award, [23] and the 2023 Department of Energy Secretary's Achievement Award. [24] [25] He was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Division of Plasma Physics in 2012 "for pioneering development of unique neutron diagnostic methods and their utilization in inertial confinement fusion research, particularly in assessing implosion performance in fundamental and applied nuclear-science experiments ". [26]

References

  1. ↑ "VIAF". viaf.org. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  2. ↑ "%s | MIT Plasma Science & Fusion Center" . Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  3. ↑ Frenje, Johan (1998). "Instrumentation for fusion neutron measurements and experimentation at JET". Publications from Uppsala University.
  4. ↑ "Johan Frenje | MIT Plasma Science & Fusion Center" . Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  5. ↑ "New leadership for PSFC High-Energy-Density Physics division | News | MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center". www-new.psfc.mit.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  6. ↑ "25th Topical Conference on High Temperature Plasma Diagnostics HTPD 2024". Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  7. ↑ "Institute of Laser Engineering". Institute of Laser Engineering, The University of Osaka. September 1, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  8. ↑ Franchot, Michael (December 11, 2017). "Workshops at LLE". Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  9. ↑ "Omega Laser Facility Users Group". Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  10. ↑ Ross, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States), J. S. (2023). "The National Diagnostic Plan (NDP) for HED Science September 2023". U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information. doi:10.2172/2008154. OSTI   2008154 . Retrieved 2025-09-09.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Frenje, J. A. (2011). "Measurements of the Differential Cross Sections for the Elastic n−H3 and n−H2 Scattering at 14.1 MeV by Using an Inertial Confinement Fusion Facility". Physical Review Letters. 107 (12) 122502. Bibcode:2011PhRvL.107l2502F. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.122502. hdl: 1721.1/68681 . PMID   22026767.
  12. ↑ Anonymous (September 15, 2011). "Pushing toward better nuclear data". Physics. 4 (12): s136. Bibcode:2011PhRvL.107l2502F. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.122502. hdl: 1721.1/68681 . PMID   22026767.
  13. ↑ "MIT scientists contribute to National Ignition Facility fusion milestone". MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. December 19, 2022. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  14. ↑ "Pacific Fusion – Powering a prosperous planet". Pacific Fusion. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  15. ↑ "FOCUSED ENERGY". focused-energy.world. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  16. ↑ "Compact Fusion Machines | Avalanche Energy". www.avalanchefusion.com. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  17. ↑ Zylstra, A. B.; Hurricane, O. A.; Callahan, D. A.; Kritcher, A. L.; Ralph, J. E.; Robey, H. F.; Ross, J. S.; Young, C. V.; Baker, K. L.; Casey, D. T.; Döppner, T.; Divol, L.; Hohenberger, M.; Le Pape, S.; Pak, A. (January 26, 2022). "Burning plasma achieved in inertial fusion". Nature. 601 (7894): 542–548. Bibcode:2022Natur.601..542Z. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04281-w. ISSN   1476-4687. PMC   8791836 . PMID   35082418.
  18. ↑ "John Dawson Award in Plasma Physics". www.aps.org. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
  19. ↑ "APS Announces Recipients of the Fall 2022 Prizes and Awards". www.aps.org. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  20. ↑ "PSFC researchers honored with John Dawson Award | News | MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center". www-new.psfc.mit.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  21. ↑ "Fusion and Energy Policy". firefusionpower.org. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  22. ↑ "Johan Frenje wins Fusion Power Associates 2023 Leadership Award | News | MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center". www-new.psfc.mit.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  23. ↑ "NNSA individuals and teams receive Secretary's Honor Awards". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  24. ↑ "Celebrating The Secretary's Honor Awards Winners". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  25. ↑ "Department of Energy presents Secretary's Achievement Award to three from PSFC | News | MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center". www-new.psfc.mit.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  26. ↑ "List of fellows of the American Physical Society (2011–present)", Wikipedia, July 30, 2025, retrieved 2025-09-10
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