Welcome to the Great Lakes Fusion Energy Summit 2026
TUESDAY, MAY 5 | DISCOVERY BUILDING @ UW–MADISON
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Schedule of Events
8:30 AM — Registration Opens
Check in, grab your badge, and meet fellow attendees over coffee.
9:00 AM — Welcome Session
Opening remarks from Eric Wilcots, Interium Chancellor and Dean of the College of Letters & Sciences at UW–Madison.
9:15 AM — Fusion Lab & Experiment Tours
Guests can take guided tours of leading research facilities across UW–Madison and the University of Illinois. UW–Madison professors Paul Wilson and Cary Forest will open with an overview.
TOUR FACILITATORS
- Chelsy Cegielski, UW–Madison
- Russ Johnson, UW–Madison
- Kyle Joseph, UW–Madison
- Kathleen Gallagher, 5 Lakes Institute
LOCATIONS
- Alloy Design & Development Lab
Advanced alloy development for extreme environments, including fusion‑relevant materials.
- Autonomous Metals Design & Manufacturing Lab
Metal additive manufacturing process research enabling manufacturers to 3D print consistent, highly reliable metal parts.
- Big Red Ball
Spherical multi-cusp plasma confinement vessel.
- Cold Spray Lab
High‑velocity particle deposition and advanced manufacturing research.
- HIDRA — Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (VIRTUAL)
Stellarator/tokamak hybrid for plasma–material interaction research at UIUC.
- HSX — Helically Symmetric eXperiment
Quasi‑symmetric stellarator exploring improved plasma confinement.
- Ion Beam Lab
Ion–solid interaction studies, irradiation testing, and materials modification.
- MST — Madison Symmetric Torus
Reversed‑field pinch device studying plasma self‑organization and magnetic confinement.
- Pegasus‑III — Pegasus Toroidal Experiment
Spherical‑tokamak program advancing compact, high‑performance plasma confinement.
- Plasma Physics Teaching Lab
Facility for students to explore the confinement and heating of plasmas, primarily in support of the quest for fusion energy.
- WIPPL — Wisconsin Plasma Physics Lab
DOE‑funded national user facility supporting MST, WHAM, and frontier plasma science.
- WHAM — Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (VIRTUAL)
Next‑generation magnetic‑mirror fusion experiment using high‑temperature superconducting magnets.
11:30 AM — Morning Keynote Welcome
Brief introduction to the fusion supply chain from Michael Morgan, Associate Dean of the College of Letters & Sciences at UW–Madison.
11:35 AM — Keynote Chat #1
The Fusion Supply Chain: Opportunities and Challenges
SPEAKERS
- Steffi Diem, UW–Madison
- Kieran Furlong, Realta Fusion
- Chris Good, Induction Partners
MODERATOR
- Tim De Chant, TechCrunch
12:15 PM — Networking Lunch & Photo Ops
Devesh Ranjan, Dean of the College of Engineering at UW–Madison, will welcome us into this moment of connection among researchers, founders, investors, and energy leaders.
→ Before heading to the afternoon tracks, be sure to capture the moment. Stop by our fusion‑inspired photo booth for VIP meet‑and‑greets and celebrate your role in shaping the future of energy—then share the experience on your favorite social media channel.
1:10 PM — Afternoon Keynote Welcome
Jennifer Arrigo, scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy, will begin afternoon programming with a reflection on the vision for the DOE’s new Office of Fusion.
1:20 PM — Keynote Chat #2
How Nuclear Will Help Satisfy Growing Energy Demand
SPEAKERS
- Mark Chalmers, Energy Fuels Resources Corp.
- Patrick Ellis, Type One Energy
- Steve Nieland, Faith Technologies
- Ross Radel, SHINE Technologies
MODERATOR
- Kyle Crum, Infinity EDM
2:00 PM — Track Sessions
Sam Rikkers from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will offer our afternoon welcome before track sessions begin. Attendees may choose between two concurrent tracks: Fusion Forward or Fusion Supply Chain.
Track 1: Fusion Forward
2:15 PM — Fusion Energy is Coming, but When?
SPEAKERS
- Diane Demers, Xantho Technologies
- Diana Grandas, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- Derek Sutherland, Realta Fusion R&D
MODERATOR
- Jim Nelson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
2:45 PM — Building an Emerging Industry in an Increasingly Volatile Environment
SPEAKERS
- Max Duckworth, MaSa Partners
- Seth Hudson, UW–Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC)
- Ben Lindley, UW–Madison
- Stephen Pounds, Vadar Alpha
MODERATOR
- Tom Content, Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin
3:15 PM — Opportunities for the Great Lakes Region
SPEAKERS
- Shayna Hetzel, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC)
- Dave Muir, Paragon D&E
- Oliver Schmitz, UW–Madison
MODERATOR
- Phil Vella, Start-Midwest
Track 2: Fusion Supply Chain
2:15 PM — Materials and Advanced Manufacturing
SPEAKERS
- Terry Benson, UW–Madison
- Andy Green, Strohwig Industries
- Charles Hirst, UW–Madison
MODERATOR
- Thomas Day, Frontier Mission Network
2:45 PM — Power Electronics and Automation
SPEAKERS
- Emmanuel Guilhamon, Rockwell Automation Global Sustainability
- Jinia Roy, UW–Madison
- Kevin White, Enhanced Information Systems (EIS)
- Shouyin Zhang, Delta Electronics
MODERATOR
- Mark Juetten, TitletownTech
3:15 PM — Systems: Heating, Cryogenics, Vacuum Technologies, and Fuel Cycle
SPEAKERS
- Eric Alderson, National Electrostatics Corp.
- J.R. Gaines, Kurt J. Lesker Company
- Mark Janz, Fusion Fuel Cycles (FFC)
- Leon Robert, Purdue University
MODERATOR
- Aina Vilumsons, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
3:45 PM – CAPSTONE: Structuring Partnerships and Startups
To close the summit, this capstone session explores practical strategies for building effective partnerships and launching startups that translate innovation into impact. John Byrnes of the 5 Lakes Institute will open with an overview, followed by a panel and small group discussions.
PANELISTS
- Greg Keenan, WARF
- Dave Vasko, 5 Lakes Institute
MODERATOR
- Kathleen Gallagher, 5 Lakes Institute
5:00 PM: Great Lakes Fusion Energy Mixer
Join us for great networking and good fun at Findorff’s Madison Headquarters! Register for the Mixer if you haven’t already. We look forward to seeing you there!
Thank you for attending the 2026 Great Lakes Fusion Energy Summit
As the summit concludes, we invite you to carry these conversations forward—connecting ideas, disciplines, and partners to accelerate progress in fusion energy and its real‑world impact.