Find here some words from last event participants and their experience with the event.
Christos, Greece
SUMTRAIC is undoubtedly a great course for anyone interested in Plasma Physics and Magnetic Confinement Fusion. I enjoyed working on a fusion relevant hot-topic under the supervision of IPP researchers. I definitely obtained skills and knowledge that will apply into my own PhD project. Working daily in the IPP environment, alongside fellow young researchers was a unique experience. Last but not least, it was a true joy to meet students, who also work in fusion, and explore the magnificent city of Prague with them.
Peter, Sweden
These two weeks in Prague have really been quite a learning experience for me, as well as a great time getting to know new friends. Unfortunately, as it recently was decommissioned, we did not get to see the COMPASS tokamak as the foundation of its successor, the COMPASS Upgrade, was being laid. However, we did get to see the oldest tokamak in the world still in use today: GOLEM, and not only that, we got to witness it during a discharge! This was one the highlights for me. The administration was great, the projects were very interesting and also relevant for contemporary fusion plasma research, and above all: the supervisors were amazing. I really recommend SUMTRAIC for anyone interested in plasma physics and who wants to get to feel how it is to be a researcher in this ever growing field of science!
Joao, Portugal
Participating in SUMTRAIC proved to be an experience which I won't forget. We worked 2 weeks on challenging real world problems in fusion, but accessible to any participant eager to learn, regardless of their academic level. We counted with the help of experienced and very kind supervisors, as well as of the very thoughtful organizer Jordan, and the event ended with a presentation of our work to dozens of researchers. The city of Prague is incredible, and the event mixed beautifully work and leasure: it allowed for great moments sightseeing, tasting local food and having great Czech beer. Totally recommended.
Peter, Hungary
Even though COMPASS was already shut down at the time of this year’s SUMTRAIC, it was still a great opportunity to get a taste of fusion physics. As a physicist who mostly works on the modelling side, getting my hands on real world data from a tokamak was especially exciting. The project we were tasked felt important and pioneering, and with a great partner and exceptionally engaging supervisors the work never felt tedious or cumbersome. But maybe even more memorable are the moments spent outside the institute with my fellow students or supervisors in the great city of Prague. The beer is unrivaled, the food is hearty, and the city is beautiful. I came away from SUMTRAIC hoping that I will have the chance to return one day and do some work on COMPASS Upgrade as well.
Amina, Kazakhstan
The SUMTRAIC program gives you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a scientific environment, and to experience yourself in practice. Two weeks of an amazing journey with supervisors who inspire and encourage along the way. And, of course, our group, whom I now want to call colleagues, interesting and educated people, thanks to their support I was not afraid to move forward. I have only warm memories from the program and the strongest motivation to develop further.
SUMTRAIC is a place where you fall in love with physics all over again.
Hannes, Sweden
Altogether it was a great experience! In part because we got to meet a lot of great people and in part because we got to experience the amazing city. The work was fun and interesting. Even though a lot of effort went in, people had a very relaxed attitude and there was a lot of solidarity among students and supervisors. At the end of the day, I would definitely recommend this to anyone curios about fusion research.
Miguel, Portugal
SUMTRAIC was a very interesting experience, where we all got to work on a topic related to fusion research. On one hand, the work was quite serious, with 8 hours of planned work for most days. Despite that, it never felt too much work since we were all in a good working spirit. On the other hand, all the participants also got to enjoy their time together hanging out in what was, for most, a new place. Jordan Cavalier, the supervisors and everybody in general were always very nice and helpful, even helping me when I got sick and had to stay in isolation.
Benedek, Hungary
It was my first event like this, so I was a bit nervous at the beginning, but as the time went by, all my worries disappeared. We made great bonds within the group including the supervisors, which keep us connected even after the event ended. During our time in Prague, we had the opportunity to gain insight into the research world of plasma fusion and worked on very current projects in this field. In addition to the acquired work experience, we were able to explore one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in Europe. All in all, I have to say the course exceeded my expectations, so I can highly recommend it to every student who works in plasma fusion or just interested in the topic.
