Nikolai Gorelenkov

Dr. Nikolai Gorelenkov is a Principal Research Physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), part of Princeton University’s Theory Department. He holds a B.A. from Moscow State University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the Russian Scientific Center Kurchatov Institute. His research focuses on energetic particle (EP) interactions with plasma waves, developing theories and numerical tools to study EP-driven instabilities and plasma performance. He leads the development of the RBQ code, coupled with hybrid kinetic/MHD codes like NOVA/NOVA-C, and collaborates on whole-device modeling tools like TRANSP. Dr. Gorelenkov has been an ITER Fellow since 2020 and actively contributes to the ITPA EP expert group.

• Education:
• B.A., Physics, Moscow State University
• Ph.D., Physics, Russian Scientific Center Kurchatov Institute

His research interests span plasma physics fundamentals, fusion energy systems, and computational modeling. Notable achievements include advancing quasi-linear wave-particle resonance broadening models and validating tools against experimental data. Awards include the American Physical Society Fellowship (2012) and the Kaul Prize (2007).