Price for buffet lunch is $15 (includes complimentary parking in the hotel garage).

If you plan to eat, please RSVP This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday, March 6 at noon.

 If you choose not to eat, a charge of $7 will cover parking and event arrangements.

The formal meeting begins at 11:55 a.m.

This presentation provides a comprehensive technical analysis of fusion energy’s critical transition from a decades-long scientific endeavor to a commercially viable power source. It begins by establishing the context for fusion as the ultimate baseload, carbon-free energy solution, justifying the massive global investment.

We will explore the fundamental fusion physics, detailing how the energy is derived from fusing light nuclei (deuterium and tritium) and comparing fusion’s inherent advantages against fission technology.

The presentation quantifies the dramatic technological maturity achieved over the last 60 years, reviewing the engineering and scientific challenges that have been resolved, and the competitive approaches being pursued across various global projects. A core focus will be placed on the remaining challenges, particularly in advanced materials science and regulatory alignment, which are necessary to achieve continuous industrial operation.

Finally, we will examine the pathway to commercial fusion and the essential role of U.S. government supports and international public-private partnerships in accelerating deployment this decade.

Libin Babu is a mechanical engineer with 12+ years of industrial experience spanning ASME pressure vessels, heat exchangers and advanced nuclear systems.

Born and raised in Kerala, India — a region renowned for its spice trade and deep mathematical heritage — Libin earned a BE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calicut and an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Energy Science and Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

He began his career in Rayong, Thailand, and later worked in Ohio and New York. Throughout his career, he has specialized in mechanical design and analysis, quality control, nondestructive examination and welding inspection, with broad knowledge of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Since 2018 he has actively participated in ASME code committee meetings and has led ASME joint reviews, helping multiple organizations achieve successful certifications.

In 2021, Libin shifted his focus to nuclear fusion. He served at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the U.S. ITER project under the U.S. Department of Energy and now works in the private fusion sector on Type One Energy’s Infinity-2 stellarator, one of the most promising pathways to practical fusion power. Beyond engineering, Libin teaches yoga and enjoys mentoring early-career engineers. He resides in Farragut, Tennessee, with his wife, Jessica Ramos, a registered nurse.

The stellarator’s twisted magnetic fields keep fuel particles from drifting away from where they fuse.

For more information on TSK and its meetings, please email TSK secretary, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call him at 865-679-9854.