Frank Jenko

Frank Jenko is an Honorary Professor for Computational Physics at the Technical University of Munich and a Scientific Member and Head of the Tokamak Theory Division at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) since January 2017. His research focuses on plasma physics and fusion energy, with particular expertise in tokamak theory, turbulence simulation, and computational physics.

Dr. Jenko was born in 1968 in Landshut and studied physics at the Technical University of Munich. After completing his doctorate, he joined IPP as a research associate in 1998. Following research stays in the USA, he completed his habilitation at the University of Ulm in 2005 and led an IPP junior research group focused on simulating plasma turbulence on supercomputers. From 2014 to 2017, he served as a professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Plasma Science and Technology Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

His research interests span plasma physics, fusion energy, and computational methods for simulating complex plasma phenomena. Jenko's work particularly emphasizes gyrokinetic modeling of plasma turbulence in magnetic confinement devices, with applications to both tokamaks and stellarators. His research group develops and utilizes advanced computational tools like the GENE code for high-fidelity plasma simulations. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on advancing computational methods for plasma turbulence simulation, with applications to both tokamak and stellarator configurations. His work spans fundamental plasma physics, computational algorithm development, and practical applications to fusion energy research, particularly in validating simulation codes against experimental data and applying these validated models to predict and optimize fusion plasma performance.

• Starting Grant from the European Research Council (2011)
• Hans Werner Osthoff Prize from the University of Greifswald (2004)
• Otto Hahn Medal from the Max Planck Society (1999)

As head of the Tokamak Theory Department at IPP, Dr. Jenko leads a research group focused on computational plasma physics and turbulence simulation. His team has secured significant funding through European Research Council grants and maintains strong international collaborations with major fusion facilities worldwide, including JET, ASDEX Upgrade, and Wendelstein 7-X. The group plays a key role in the development of the GENE code, a leading gyrokinetic turbulence simulation tool used by researchers globally.

The Tokamak Theory Department under Dr. Jenko's leadership operates advanced computational facilities for plasma turbulence simulation and maintains close ties with experimental teams at major fusion facilities. The department is instrumental in bridging theoretical plasma physics with experimental results, contributing to the advancement of magnetic confinement fusion research worldwide.