Professor Andrew Randewich joins First Light Fusion’s scientific advisory board

First Light Fusion, the Oxford-based global leader in researching energy generation via inertial fusion, has announced the appointment of Professor Andrew Randewich to its Scientific Advisory Board.

Professor Randewich is Executive Director, Engineering and Science at AWE, responsible for its Engineering and Scientific community who carry out the design, maintenance and certification of the UK Deterrent.

He also leads the company’s Strategic External and Industrial Outreach programmes and the International Liaison Office. He was appointed to the Executive Committee in June 2020.

Professor Randewich joined AWE in 1997 where he worked on physics assessment, mathematical modelling, code development and research on space and DT laser plasmas and explosives ageing, before taking on a series of senior management roles.

A Chartered Physicist, a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Professor Randewich was appointed as a visiting Professor at Imperial College London in 2012.

Professor Randewich brings with him considerable directly relevant expertise and insight to First Light’s Scientific Advisory Board. In particular, he was appointed AWE’s Head of Plasma Physics in 2011.

The Department’s main role was using high power lasers to underwrite high energy density physics simulations. He was Asset Manager for the ORION laser, one of the largest science capital investments in the UK, and managed several other science facilities.

First Light’s Advisory Board includes:

• Jeremy Chittenden (Professor of Plasma Physics at Imperial College)
• Steven Chu (William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Physics and Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology at Stanford University)
• Richard Dennis (former Global Director of Research and Development for Doosan Babcock Energy Ltd)
• Richard L. Garwin (IBM Fellow Emeritus at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center)
• Sir David King (former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser)
• Arun Majumdar (Jay Precourt Professor at Stanford University, Chair of the SEAB)
• Steven Rose (formerly of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s Central Laser Facility)
• and Ronald Roy (Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford).

Dr Nick Hawker, CEO of First Light Fusion, said: “We are delighted that Andrew has agreed to join our Scientific Advisory Board, where we’ll be able to draw on his extensive expertise gained through a long career in nuclear physics.

"His specific experience in plasma physics will prove invaluable as we accelerate our journey towards developing a commercial fusion energy platform.”

Professor Andrew Randewich commented: “I’m very excited to be joining the Advisory Board and working with such an esteemed group of scientists.

"First Light is pushing the boundaries of our understanding of fusion technology.

"First Light’s unique projectile fusion approach represents a genuine opportunity to develop a scalable, entirely clean new source of baseload power and I very much look forward to being a part of its future”.