Colloquium

Upcoming Colloquium

Neural Network–Based Classification and Regression of Magnetohydrodynamic Modes in Tokamaks
Dr. Laszlo Bardoczi, UC Irvine

January 26, 2026
11:00am in HSCI-105

Laszlo Bardoczi

Magnetic confinement fusion offers a promising path toward a sustainable, carbon-free energy source, but its realization depends critically on maintaining high-performance plasmas and robust magnetohydrodynamic stability. A class of MHD instabilities known as neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) is the most common cause of unwanted and violent plasma termination. NTMs are intrinsically nonlinear instabilities: they require a trigger in order to grow, usually provided by another transient but non-disruptive MHD mode. Effective control and avoidance of NTMs therefore hinges on identifying which triggering mechanisms are relevant in a given operational regime. This, in turn, requires precise determination of the NTM onset time with millisecond accuracy, enabling reliable correlation analyses between candidate triggers and subsequent tearing growth.

equipotential lines inside a tokamak
Fig. Equipotential lines inside a tokamak

About the Colloquium

The Colloquium is a unique opportunity for students to learn about new developments in physics and what physicists do after they graduate. Hosted by the Physics and Astronomy Department at California State University, Long Beach, the weekly meetings invite guests from universities, research laboratories, and industry to present and discuss current topics in physics. All students are encouraged to attend for a well-rounded experience and training in physics.

Colloquium Coordinator

For information and suggestions about the colloquium please contact the colloquium coordinator:

Dr. Zoltan Papp
Zoltan.Papp@csulb.edu

Schedule

Additional details will be posted as they become available.

Spring 2026 Colloquia
DateTitleSpeaker and Affiliation
January 26, 2026Neural Network–Based Classification and Regression of Magnetohydrodynamic Modes in TokamaksDr. Laszlo Bardoczi, UC Irvine
February 2, 2026TBADr. Mark Lohmann, Caltech
February 9, 2026TBADr. Nicholas Dale, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 
February 16, 2026TBATBA
February 23, 2026TBATBA
March 2, 2026TBATBA
March 9, 2026TBADr. Jon Feicht, LIGO @ Caltech
March 23, 2026TBADr. Kalman Varga, Vanderbilt University
April 6, 2026TBADr. Michael Ratz, UC Irvine 
April 13, 2026Distinguished Lecture SpeakerDr. Stuart Parkin, Max Planck Institute - Halle, Germany
April 20, 2026TBADr. Tamar Mentzel, UC Riverside
April 27, 2026TBADr. Andreas Bill, CSU Long Beach
May 4, 2026Student Research Presentations IPhysics students, CSU Long Beach
May 6, 2026Student Research Presentations IIPhysics students, CSU Long Beach

Previous Colloquia

The Colloquium Archive has the Colloquia from previous semesters.

Sponsors

We acknowledge with gratitude donations and support from the following present sponsors:

  • H.E. and H.B. Miller and Family Endowment
  • Benjamin Carter
  • Mary L. Bresnan
  • K. Y. Shen
  • American Physical Society
  • Anonymous

We also acknowledge with gratitude our past donors: The Forty-Niner Shops, Inc., The Northrop Grumman Foundation, Sandra Dana, Anonymous.

If you wish to support the Colloquium, please contact the colloquium coordinator or the department chair. Thank you!