From Physics to Society: Reimagining the roles and responsibilities of plasma physicists in a world with fusion energy

Fusion energy, long regarded as an ideal but distant energy source, may now be more imminent than previously imagined by plasma physicists. Progress toward the development of fusion energy marks a professional and intellectual transition for many plasma physicists who for decades, having advanced the fundamental science of plasmas, are now turning to questions surrounding technology and its development and use in society. In this talk, I posit that this shift in the work of plasma physicists must be accompanied by a new moral paradigm that encompasses a more expansive scope of ethical responsibilities. Key elements of a new paradigm include reflexivity, humility, teleological detachment, and open consultation. In this talk, I will illustrate how these elements can be operationalized in the education and intellectual development of future physicists-technologists and what this operationalization might mean for the future of fusion energy.