Carlos A Paz-Soldan

Carlos Paz-Soldan’s research interests are motivated by the desire to solve the scientific and technological challenges standing in the way of harnessing controlled fusion energy on earth.

Prof. Carlos Paz-Soldan’s work focuses on controlling the transient off-normal events that can prevent the reliable operation of magnetic fusion device concepts. He is interested in advancing the physical basis of plasma instability phenomena as well as developing the fusion technologies necessary to deploy feasible actuators to achieve control. Prof. Paz-Soldan’s group conducts both experimental and computational work to support these goals.

Paz-Soldan joined the Columbia Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics Department in 2021. Prior he was a staff scientist in the Magnetic Fusion Energy Division at General Atomics, where he advanced the research program of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility as well as other experiments worldwide.  Prof. Paz-Soldan has contributed to a broad range of problems in tokamak operation, stability, and control. These include: understanding the interaction of tokamak plasmas with non-axisymmetric fields used to control core and edge instabilities; the measurement and control of relativistic electron populations; and the conceptualization and design of novel actuators for transient control. He earned his B.Sc.E. from Queen’s University at Kingston, Canada in 2007 and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012. Prof. Paz-Soldan is the recipient of the Marshall N. Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Prize in 2013 and the Thomas H. Stix Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Plasma Physics Research in 2021, both from the American Physical Society.

Research Interests

  • Plasma physics
  • Magnetically confined plasmas
  • Plasma stability and control
  • Fusion energy technologies

Professional Experience

  • Associate Professor, Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, 2021-present
  • Scientist, Magnetic Fusion Energy Division, General Atomics, 2014-2020
  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Oak Ridge Associated University, 2012-2014
  • Member, Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee
  • Vice-President, University Fusion Association
  • Chair, DIII-D User Board

Professional Affiliations

  • American Physical Society
  • American Nuclear Society

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow, American Physical Society (2024)
  • Thomas H. Stix Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Plasma Physics Research, 2021
  • Marshall N. Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award, American Physical Society, 2013
  • Doctoral Fellowship, National Science and Engineering Research Council Canada, 2009
  • Graduate Fellowship, American Nuclear Society, 2008