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The ITER Podcast

Arts & Culture Podcasts

We bring you an inspiring yet extremely down to earth (pun intended) podcast where we speak to the heart of ITER: the scientists, engineers, technicians, managers, lawyers, interns, students, assistants and everyone in between who make this massive undertaking tick. These podcasts seek to dig into the human side of ITER: their work, their experiences in the multicultural environment, challenges and more.

Location:

United States

Description:

We bring you an inspiring yet extremely down to earth (pun intended) podcast where we speak to the heart of ITER: the scientists, engineers, technicians, managers, lawyers, interns, students, assistants and everyone in between who make this massive undertaking tick. These podcasts seek to dig into the human side of ITER: their work, their experiences in the multicultural environment, challenges and more.

Language:

English


Episodes
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It's Magnetic

7/21/2025
Ever wondered why and how scientists will recreate the power of a star on Earth? In this episode of It's Magnetic of Season 3 "Behind the Science of Fusion" join host Kruti and fusion analyst Jack Moore as they unveil the magnetic magic behind ITER's fusion reactor. Discover how superconducting magnets creating fields 250,000 times stronger than the Earth's own magnetic field and can suspend plasma hotter than the sun in mid-vacuum—without touching anything. It's not one of David Copperfield's illusions; it's cutting-edge science. From the "Princeton D" shaped coils to the royal central solenoid (she's our tokamak's empress), our expert speakers Christine Hoa, Simon McIntosh, Alexander Vostner, Vladimir Tronza and Laban Coblentz break down the invisible force field that will help humanity harness the power of the stars. Whether you're curious about how these technological marvels work at temperatures colder than the dark side of the moon or what the future holds for low and high-temperature superconductors, "It's Magnetic" delivers fusion science that's both accessible and awe-inspiring. Listen now on the ITER website as well as your favorite podcast platforms and glimpse the future of clean energy.

Duration:00:24:25

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Taming The Wild

5/5/2025
🎙️ At the heart of fusion energy lies one of the universe’s most untamed elements: plasma — a high-energy state of matter seen in lightning, the aurora, and most spectacularly, in our sun. Scientists have spent decades trying to control it. But why? In this episode, host Kruti Fayot dives into the fascinating world of plasma: what it is, why it’s essential for fusion, how it’s being tamed inside machines like ITER, and the surprising role AI might play in the future of clean energy. Featuring insights from ITER experts Javier Artola, Michael Walsh, and Alberto Loarte, with a special introduction by plasma physicist Melanie Windridge and fusion analyst Jack Moore. 🔥 If you’ve ever looked up at the Northern Lights or wondered how we’ll power the future — this one's for you.

Duration:00:23:20

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Tokamaks

3/31/2025
🚀 Ever wondered how scientists are trying to recreate the power of the sun on Earth? In this latest episode, we dive into the fascinating world of tokamaks - donut-shaped magnetic cages that could be the key to unlimited clean energy! Join host Kruti as she unravels the mysteries of fusion with expert insights from ITER scientists and her collaborator Jack Moore, exploring how decades of research are bringing us closer to harnessing the same energy that powers stars. From tiny experimental devices to massive reactors, discover the incredible journey of fusion science and why tokamaks might just be humanity's most promising path to sustainable power. Listen now! 🌞

Duration:00:20:40

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Trailer for The ITER Podcast Season 3: Behind the Science

3/31/2025
The ITER Podcast is back! Season 3 dives into the science behind fusion at ITER, looking at topics such as plasma behavior, the power of super-conducting magnets, and what's really inside a Tokamak's vacuum chamber. Each detailed episode will be published once a month where you'll hear different experts from ITER answering questions in a way that's easy to understand. Interviews by Kruti M. Fayot , co-produced by Julia Ponomareva, and in collaboration with Jack Moore. Like, subscribe and comment to let us know what topics within fusion energy interest you. Full Episode on Tokamaks will drop today. Stay tuned!

Duration:00:00:51

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Fusion Stars at ITER's Private Fusion Workshop

6/3/2024
This special 8-minute episode features the Private & Public Fusion Workshop that was held from May 27-29 at ITER. The episode interviews many players in the private & public fusion arena, including Andrew Holland from Fusion Industry Association, Melanie Windridge from Fusion Energy Insights, and Communications Director Laban Coblentz about their thoughts of the workshop, and also offers a sneak peak into Season 3. Available to listen to on the ITER Website, Spotify, Podbean, Apple, and all your favorite podcast channels!

Duration:00:08:01

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S2E6: Narrating A Giant with Laban Coblentz

7/24/2023
A terrific experiment in the making since decades, ITER is a giant not only in sheer size, but in knowledge, complexity, and inspiration. In this last episode of Season 2, we take a look at how Laban Coblentz, the Communications Director at ITER is bringing its existence into the limelight. In this interview, we speak about not only the challenges, but also his objectives and personal motivations for the organization.

Duration:00:18:18

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S2E5: ITER Spouses, A Journey of Transformation

7/3/2023
Meet the ITER Spouses - five women & man from India, China, Korea, Belgium and the Netherlands who speak about their journeys of moving to the small Provençal towns in and around Manosque to support their spouses on this fantastic voyage into the ITER World. From raising children, learning the ropes of living in Provence, rebuilding identities, and taking life into their own hands, this episode is perfect for other families who may move to ITER in the future, for other expats or for the simply curious.

Duration:00:33:12

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S2E4: ITER Robots - Connecting as Humans

5/30/2023
What do a 14 year old in the south of France, a robot competition, and a scientist at a pioneering nuclear fusion experiment have in common? The love for coding and human collaboration! In this episode, I follow middle and high schoolers to the annual competition in Provence known as ITER Robots, where about 500 students are competing to make the best robots ever - ones that mimic the challenges at ITER such as remote handling. The bright youth share their journey, enthusiasm and their take on a potential future filled with AI and robots. Next, I speak with the co-organizer of the competition, Sophie Soufflet-Jacquis, following a warm-hearted finale of song and speech which wraps up the event in all its originality.

Duration:00:17:46

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S2E3: Falling for Fusion

5/4/2023
This episode speaks with 2 young fusion enthusiasts who come from two distinct backgrounds yet convey a similar sense of purpose and passion for fusion - communicator Harry Kelso from the US and physics student Aleksandar Stojcheski from Macedonia. We speak about how they fell for fusion, how the youth perceives this energy source and what advice they'd give to other students and professionals who are curious about fusion.

Duration:00:25:11

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S2E2: Visiting Planet ITER

4/5/2023
This interview takes us along to the heart of The ITER’ World - the assembly hall and Tokamak Pit, where a group of visitors from France, Thailand and the Netherlands have decided to come to Provence on their holiday and visit the ITER construction site. They give their impressions about ITER’s impressive goals and their honest take on nuclear fusion energy. Next, we speak to one of ITER’s visit guides, Kirsten Haupt who gives us insight into why so many people - both scientists and laymen - come to visit the site, who they are, and what her experience is as a guide at one the world’s largest human collaborations to date. From the Outside In, learn more about the inner workings of ITER and join in this audio tour!

Duration:00:21:08

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S2E1: The Women at ITER

3/8/2023
Welcome to Season 2, The ITER World from The ITER Podcast. The first episode of this Season follows three exceptional women who have dominated their field and are pursuing their aspirations with ITER. The host, Kruti Mawani Fayot, speaks with engineers Aakanksha Saxena and Karina Vergara not only about the challenges, but also the advantages they have encountered as pioneers in nuclear fusion energy. Shira Tabachnikoff, ITER’s communication manager and co-founder of Women in Fusion, joins the discussion on the importance of creating a community for women in STEM and nuclear fusion fields. Descend with us in to THE ITER WORLD on the website, World Radio Paris, Youtube, and all your favorite podcast channels.

Duration:00:31:41

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All About Iter: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

4/5/2022
Economic investment and boom in businesses and attention to nuclear fusion energy, COP26 presence – why.

Duration:00:42:20

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All About Iter: Piecing the Puzzle - A Unique In-Kind Contribution & Transportation System

3/22/2022
There’s simple, there’s complicated, there’s complex and then, there’s ITER. This episode delves into why and how an international organization can function on an In-Kind Contribution system, and how does it deliver all its highly technical promises – literally. We interview experts on how they transporting massive, one-of-a-kind components on-site after having agreed on such a unique In-Kind economic system, rather than the common product and service payment system.

Duration:00:44:48

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All About Iter: The History of ITER

3/8/2022
I am with a special guest on this episode: a physicist, politically savvy negotiator, caring manager, and fascinating speaker who has been a supporter of fusion energy since his university days, and with ITER since its birth. We will be speaking with Akko Mass about the history of ITER: how it was conceived, how it is developing today and what his hopes are for the future of this organization.

Duration:00:26:17

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All About Iter: The Sun is Our Model: A Conversation with the ITER Monaco Postdocs

2/22/2022
This is a special episode where we really dig deep into science! I, your host, Kruti will be speaking with five young, intelligent and frankly hilarious scientists that have come to ITER through the Monaco Post-doc fellowship program. These scientists break down the basics so that no matter who you are, you will better understand the physics behind this groundbreaking technology that everyone is looking forward to.

Duration:00:40:31

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All About Iter: A Melting Pot of Cultures at Work

2/17/2022
This episode explores the multicultural community at ITER and what it takes for people from 35 nations to succeed in collaborating together on such an incredible and complex project. We speak with Eric Welch, the head of HR, the Welcome Office team from the Agence ITER, as well as Ms. Laura Benjannin, head of the unique international school in Manosque that was specially created for the ITER families' children.

Duration:00:50:46

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All About Iter: The Big Black Box On The Hill - An Introduction

1/25/2022
A hands-on introduction to ITER, the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment that is taking place in the south of France, where the host, Kruti Mawani Fayot goes on a tour on-site with her personal guide from ITER Communications - Anna Bondyreva, and gets to speak with experts that work at the heart of this organisation.

Duration:00:31:41