Kevin H.A. Verhaegh

Kevin H.A. Verhaegh is an Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Science and Technology of Nuclear Fusion group. His research focuses on solving critical power exhaust challenges in tokamak fusion reactors through experimental and theoretical investigations of divertor configurations and plasma-neutral interactions.

• Academic Affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology (2024–present)
• Prior Affiliation: UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) (2019–2024)

Research Interests:

• Managing extreme heat loads in plasma edge regions
• Investigating plasma-molecule and plasma-neutral interactions
• Developing advanced diagnostics for fusion reactors
• Pioneering Alternative Divertor Configurations (ADCs)
• Optimizing solutions for compact fusion reactor designs

Scientific Contributions:

• First 2D electron density measurements in MAST-U divertors
<1D scrape-off layer simulations with molecular effects
• Key experiments on Super-X divertor at MAST Upgrade
• Improved predictive models for power exhaust management

Scientific Awards:

• Institute of Physics (IoP) PhD Prize (2019)
• European Physical Society (EPS) PhD Research Award (2020)
• EUROfusion Researcher Grant (2020)
• ITER Expert Group Membership (2022)

Collaborative Impact:

• International collaborations with MAST-U (UK), TCV (Switzerland)
• Leadership in EuroFusion research on Alternative Divertor Configurations
• Advancing real-time feedback control systems for fusion reactors