Fusion energy, if it succeeds, could finally give us the holy grail of an energy source with no geographical resource constraints and no emissions.
Kamya Chandrasekhar, our next pathbreaker, works as Neutronics Engineer at Tokamak Energy Ltd, a fusion startup in the UK aiming to build a successful energy producing fusion plant, in the form of a tokamak (a specific type of fusion device shaped like a doughnut).
Kamya talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about being exposed to fusion energy at the Institute of Plasma Research where she further specialized in radiation transport physics.
For students, while most of the existing nuclear plants are fission based, the biggest challenge is to generate net positive energy based on nuclear fusion !
Kamya, can you share your background with our young readers?
I grew up in several places across India since my father was in the Navy, and my mother a teacher. I loved reading books but also being outdoors in nature. My curiosity and interest in science came from observing nature and the outdoors. We also had access to really good libraries where I would read encyclopedias after finishing with my playing in the evenings.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I was not aware of the career options for pure science in school. I was very interested in medicine, but got herded into engineering since that was the option everyone was advising. I got Electrical Engineering in NIT Bhopal and continued with that, but did not gain much interest in it. During my 3 rd year, I discovered that Nuclear Engineering as a branch that existed in US universities. So, I opted for thathoping that one day I would be able to do research. I did my MS in Nuclear Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional career in Nuclear Fusion?
My key driver was that I did not like the branch of undergrad I was in, and suddenly felt very trapped one day. Nuclear engineering was the best option I felt I had at the time, but I would’ve been equally happy in any other core science field in research.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
When I decided to go towards nuclear engineering, I had already written GRE, so I just had to alter my applications to colleges. It took a lot of convincing my parents as well.
The degree was on the tougher side and I didn’t have anyone to advise me on career prospects, especially being an Indian, since most jobs in this field are restricted by nationality. I did not opt for a PhD immediately after my MS because I was a little burnt out and US PhDs involved a lot of exams (I am really really bad at writing exams). I came back to India after my Masters thinking I would work for the Indian nuclear programme, only to find that I was ineligible for all Indian govt jobs just because my degree was new, and the recruitment criteria were outdated and rigid. It was so bad, I was deemed ineligible for a job which required an MTech in nuclear science/engg just because I had an “MS” and not an “MTech”, even though both are essentially the same thing.
Nuclear energy comes in two types – Fission and Fusion. Fission power plants use uranium or plutonium as a fuel, and are plenty in number throughout the world, including India. Fusion is the type of nuclear power that keeps stars like the Sun burning, using hydrogen isotopes. There are no fusion reactors producing net energy yet, but everyone is racing towards it. Fusion requires extremely hot conditions to occur, several hundreds of millions degrees Celsius, so the only state of matter it can occur in is a plasma, the fourth state of matter.
The Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) is a plasma physics institution that does a variety of plasma-related research, including fusion energy and other applications.
I went to IPR as a summer student during my Masters, suggested by a distant relative who was working there, and ended up doing a project which brought me to my current area of expertise, radiation transport and interaction with matter and materials.
I eventually got a contractual job at IPR after my MS, not permanent for the same eligibility reasons and planned to work for a few years before trying for a PhD.
After working there for 2 years, and becoming more specialized in radiation transport, I got a job in a private company that was doing outsourced nuclear analysis work for US clients in spent nuclear fuel safety. I started applying for PhDs after a few years of working, but before I could find any, the pandemic hit, so I gave up on it.
During the pandemic, I came to know of a professor putting together a nuclear fusion startup, the first of its kind in India. I enthusiastically joined with the hopes of being able to learn a lot and which would pave the way for something very important. Unfortunately, the startup didn’t survive due to the main investor losing money, and led us to lose a chunk of our savings as well.
Extremely demoralized, I joined another private MNC who did nuclear consultancy, but hated that job due to the work culture. However, a couple of months in, I got a job in another fusion startup in the UK which was doing very well, and that’s where I currently work.
How did you get your first break?
As I mentioned earlier, I eventually got a contractual job at the Institute of Plasma Research after my masters, not permanent for the same eligibility reasons and planned to work for a few years before trying for a PhD.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Challenge 1: Due to the unusual nature of the field and the impact of nationality, I had hardly anyone to advise me on career options. I didn’t even know that people were meant to do research in Masters because I was surrounded by IT folks most of the time. I didn’t overcome it per se, but just stubbornly stuck to the field.
Challenge 2: Being brought up in fear of authoritative figures that’s typical in India, and being very non-confrontational meant that I was not good at standing up for myself. I let others take credit for my work, put up with an unhealthy work culture, and never got authorship on any publications for work I did. At my current age, I’ve finally learnt to politely set my boundaries and ask for what I should rightly have, and maintain work-life balance.
Challenge 3: Sexism, wherein people assume less of me and will not respect my opinion as much as a male counterpart in spite of having the same experience and performance. A lot of this behaviour is subconscious to the people doing it, so calling it out is not easy. The way to handle it varies a lot from situation to situation, and I have become better at it with time.
Where do you work now?
I work as a neutronics engineer at a fusion startup in the UK.
Tokamak Energy Ltd is a startup aiming to solve and gradually build a successful energy producing fusion plant, in the form of a tokamak (a specific type of fusion device shaped like a doughnut). The fusion plasma which is the heart of the machine, burns hydrogen to produce energy, and emits radiation in the form of neutrons and gamma rays. The energy from these neutrons must be harnessed while at the same time, limiting radiation exposure to plant components and people outside the plant.
What problems do you solve?
To aid in the design of fusion power plants from a radiation perspective, since fusion reactors will produce a lot of heat and radiation that has to be harnessed for energy without damaging plant components. Calculations and simulations with radiation transport are required to design the radiation shields and other components. Very advanced material development is also required, since these materials have to withstand tremendous amounts of heat and radiation damage without structurally falling apart for the lifetime of the plant.
What skills are required for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
A knowledge of radiation transport physics, associated software, nuclear safety regulations etc. I acquired these skills over the years from all the jobs I had previously worked in. Also important are creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, working well with others, and constantly learning new things.
What’s a typical day like?
Since we are still in the designing phase, most of my job is performing simulations and calculations to aid reactor design. Every now and then, irradiation experiments also have to be carried out.
What is it you love about this job?
At my current job, my work is very varied and changes day to day so I get the chance to be creative as well. I also get to work and interact with engineers from other aspects of plant design, and learn a lot beyond my area of expertise.
How does your work benefit society?
Fusion energy, if it succeeds, would finally give us the holy grail of an energy source with no geographical resource constraints and no emissions. It is one of the very few hopes we have to mitigate disastrous climate change.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
When I got to combine my interest in the medicine with my area of expertise and did a detailed study on production of medical radioisotopes.
In healthcare, medical radioisotopes are used to image various parts of the body, through PET/SPECT scans etc. In higher doses, they are also used to kill certain types of tumours and cancers which are in parts of the body where surgical removal is difficult.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
– Nurture multiple passions and hobbies to have a well-rounded personality, not just one. Read up on them independently, don’t stick to just the syllabus. Mould one of them in a way to earn a living. Know yourself well and play to your specific strengths and interests, don’t blindly follow or dismiss what someone tells you to do, take time to think it out for yourself.
– Exams and marks are important, but don’t treat them as a measure of your skill in a subject. Exam writing is a skill in itself, and doesn’t necessarily reflect your talent.
– Learn to stand up for yourself, but without having an ego. Ask a lot of questions and don’t worry about looking stupid. Call out discrimination and unfair behavior whenever you see it.
Future Plans?
Progressing in my current path but also picking up some tangential related skills.
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