Advances in stellarator theory and optimization: status, gaps and opportunities

A confluence of expanded computational capabilities, new experimental data and theoretical developments have spurred numerous advances in recent years to enable the rapid development of optimized stellarator configurations. Predominantly, these new designs rely on harnessing approximate symmetries of the magnetic field (quasisymmetric) or conserved quantities (quasi-isodynamic). Yet there remain frontiers that are critical to the rapid development of stellarators as a fusion pilot plant concept. This presentation will give an overview of recent advances in stellarator theory and optimization and identify key areas in which continued development is necessary, including nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic stability and turbulence, as well as investment in the enabling computational tools and infrastructure. In doing so, opportunities for research synergies and collaboration between public and private research programs will be explored.