Giovanni Lapenta (2011– 2024 at EMC2)
Prof.Giovanni Lapenta was a longtime technical collaborator with EMC2 during his tenure as a professor in the Mathematics Department at KU Leuven (Belgium). He earned his Ph.D. in Energy fromPolitecnicodi Torino (Italy) with his thesis work conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory with Prof. Coppa (Politecnico di Torino), Prof. Coppi(MIT), and Dr. Brackbill (LANL). A leading figure in computational science and kinetic plasma physics theory, Prof. Lapenta(co-)developed three major Particle-in-Cell (PIC) codes: Celeste, IPIC3D, and ECsim.
Working closely with Dr. Park, Prof. Lapenta acted as Theory Advisor in the development of a customized version of the ECsim code to perform first-principles simulation of Polywell devices. His work provided a theoretical foundation for advancing our understanding of Polywell device operation and developing designs of Polywell fusion power reactors and neutron generators.
It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge Prof. Lapenta's untimely passing on May 28, 2024. His transformative contributions to the future of Polywell technology have left an indelible mark on the company.
