The AFEI Organization Scheme
The AFEI is a structured organization aimed at managing its operations efficiently. The Principal Investigator (PI) Ghassan Antar and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) M. Amro Bader oversee the initiative's directions and ensure the execution of the various programs.
They are supported by Financial and Business Advisor, M. Antoine Saadie, who advises on financial and business matters.
Research efforts are supported by Research Assistants (RAs). Ms. Akasha Kabboul from the American University of Beirut (AUB), Abdus Saboor Shaik from Imperial College London, and Dr. Feda Al-Muhaisen from the CEA-Cadarache in France.
The outreach activities are coordinated by Dr. Ounsi El-Daif who has long experience with his company called Eedema operating in the Gulf and Middle-East region.
- The AFEI coordinates with various stakeholders to ensure that the execution of its tasks is in line with the initiative's vision and mission, according to best-adopted practices. These stakeholders are categorized as the following:
- The Support Institutions are entities that have indicated their support for AFEI and with whom further collaborations will be established. In general, they are institutions in the U.S., Europe, or China with long experience in research and development in the field of fusion.
- The AFEI Advisory Board is comprised of eminent figures mostly from the fusion energy community, both from public and private institutions. This board will be advising the AFEI executive team on the various projects and proposals submitted by the PI and Co-PI.
- The Associated Institutions are private or public Arab entities that want to be engaged in this field in any capacity, especially those who are willing to establish a fusion energy research infrastructure.
The PI and Co-PI will form dedicated subcommittees to manage the specific areas and monitor the redistribution of funds in collaboration with the business and financial manager. These committees should play a pivotal role in the success of AFEI. They will be responsible for the writing of proposals, engaging the Support Institutions for eventual needs and collaborations, and working with the Associated Institutions to execute the projects in their field of expertise. The subcommittees will report monthly to the PI and Co-PI about their progress.
The administrative tasks will be done by AUB staff, but we aim to establish our administrative team in the future when funding permits.
The organization scheme of the AFEI, where the PI and co-PI are helped by the Executive Team, is currently made up of volunteers. The PI and co-PI will report to the Advisory Board about the activities. They will also form a list of Associated Institutions, which are Arab institutions with whom work will be done. Another list of supporting institutions will be made, which are mainly international entities that agreed to help in one way or another with this initiative. The PI and co-PI will form five sub-committees that will write proposals and execute the different activities.
The AFEI is organized around five key units that work together in our quest to develop a fusion energy program in the Arab world. These units, along with their subcommittees, are driven by the various needs of the Arab fusion energy ecosystem's development and are inspired by the success stories of the international fusion communities. These topics are:
- The Outreach and Awareness Unit conducts public events and workshops to raise awareness about fusion energy and its societal and economic advantages. It aims specifically at entities like universities, schools, and community events. The unit also creates simplified materials for the public on fusion energy, including writing articles or making videos, and liaising with media outlets to increase the societal visibility of fusion as a clean and sustainable energy source.
- The Research Unit coordinates various research activities to support the Arab Fusion Energy Program and the Arab Fusion ecosystem development. It has three main goals: (1)initiate the construction of a medium-sized tokamak in the Arab world that is relevant to the advancement of fusion energy research in the Arab region, and possibly beyond it. (2) coordinate with the Arab Fusion Energy Program under the Arab League to support fusion energy research in the Arab world and promote and advance its mission. (3), Advise, collaborate with, and fund fusion energy teams and activities in the Arab world.
- The Education and Training Unit develops educational and training programs, to cater to Arab universities and research centers. These programs can take the form of organizing specialized conferences, developing graduate-level, studying plans in plasma physics and fusion energy, supporting students and professors to attend international conferences, organizing summer schools on fusion, and developing courses at Universities.
- The Collaborations Unit fosters partnerships with Arab public/private entities and international partners, in addition to Arab universities and research centers. It aims at attracting new partners to the AFEI that are willing to support this initiative and build on these partnerships in propelling the AFEI's goals.
- The private and public sector advisory unit engages with stakeholders to raise awareness and incite pro-fusion action. Their main goal is to provide consultations to governments and private institutions in the Arab world about the present status and capabilities and advice about the best solutions if they wish to join the adventure of making fusion a reality.
The Advisory Board
The advisory board comprises experts in the nuclear field from both the Arab World and abroad, representing private firms, academic institutions, and government bodies. These experts have held leadership roles in significant nuclear programs or are prominent figures in the nuclear fusion sector. Their insights and expertise are invaluable for advising the PI and co-PI of the AFEI, guiding its strategic decisions, and helping shape the future of nuclear fusion energy in the region.
The present list includes:
Dr. Sergio Orlandi, Deputy Director General, and Chief Executive Engineer
ITER Organisation
Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon - CS 90 046 - 13067
St Paul Lez Durance Cedex - France
- Dr. Khaled Toukan, Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), Director of Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) Shafa Bedran, Amman, P.O. Box 70, Jordan
Dr. Sara Moradi, Deputy Head of Fusion Science Department
Co WPTE & WP W7-X
Fusion Science Department
EUROfusion - Programme Management Unit, Boltzmannstrasse 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
Dr. Chantal Badre, Chief of Staff
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
100 Stellarator Road, Princeton, NJ
PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451, USA
Dr. Simon Woodruff, CEO Woodruff Scientific LTD
Harwell Innovation Centre,
173 Curie Avenue,
Didcot, OX11 0QG, UK
M. Jay Brister, CEO Blue Sky Nuclear
Overland Park, Kansas, USA
Ms. Caroline Anderson, Manager for Outreach
Fusion Industry Association,
Washington D.C., USA
Dr. Sadruddin Benkadda, Director of Research 1st Class CNRS
Laboratoire de Physique des Interactions Ioniques et Moléculaires - CNRS UMR 7345
Aix-Marseille Université
Avenue Escadrille Normandie Niemen
13397Marseille Cedex 20, France
Dr. Mikhael Gryaznevich, Chief scientist and founder of Tokamak Energy
Tokamak Energy,
173 Brook Drive, Milton Park,
Oxfordshire, OX14 4SD, UK
The AFEI will try to widen this list to include other members who are interested in promoting fusion in the Arab world. The list will be updated on the website of AFEI.
Associated Institutions
The Associated Institutions (AI) are leading universities, research centers, and governmental agencies in the Arab world that are willing to conduct and promote research in the field of fusion energy. By fostering collaboration and sharing resources, they contribute to groundbreaking research, development, and innovation in the nuclear fusion sector. Their collective efforts not only support the technical and scientific progress of AFEI but also help build a skilled workforce and promote sustainable solutions across the Arab region. A Letter of Intent would be signed between AFEI and the AI allowing them to benefit from the support of the AFEI. Below, we list possible institutions that may be interested in joining AUB in this enterprise.
- University of Tunis El-Manar (Tunis)
- CEA-L (Lebanon)
- CNSTN (Tunis)
- University of Baghdad (Iraq)
- University Al-Zarqa (Jordan)
- Jordanian Atomic Energy Agency (Jordan)
- Al Hussein Technical University, Jordan
This list will be confirmed and will likely expand as we initiate our outreach and awareness program. It will be updated on the website of AFEI.
Support Institutions
The Support Institutions (SI) are leading universities, research centers, and governmental agencies that have experience in fusion research and are willing to conduct and promote collaborations in the field of fusion energy with Arab institutions through the AFEI.
For interested partners, either to be a Supportive or Associated Institution please use the contacts to get in touch with us.