Fellow Profile Page

Brandon Lee

  • Program Year: 2
  • Academic Institution: Columbia University
  • Field of Study: Plasma Physics
  • Academic Advisor: Elizabeth Paul
  • Practicum(s):
    Los Alamos National Laboratory (2024)
  • Degree(s):
    B.S. Physics, and B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri - Columbia, 2022
  • Personal URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonflee/

Summary of Research

I am interested in stellarators, prospective nuclear fusion reactors that use carefully-shaped electromagnetic coils to confine plasma and enable fusion reactions to occur. Stellarator performance is largely enabled by high-dimensional optimizations that tailor the devices' magnetic fields to exhibit favorable properties. I intend to perform multi-objective stellarator optimizations in graduate school with the goals of understanding the tradeoffs between different plasma properties, improving physical models of plasmas by comparing theoretical and experimental results, and ultimately improving the optimization methods themselves to hasten the development of a practical fusion power reactor.

Publications

Brandon F. Lee, Samuel A. Lazerson, HÃ¥kan M. Smith, and Craig D. Beidler. Direct optimization of ion transport in a W7-X-like reactor case. Stellarator Poster Session, American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Annual Meeting. October 31, 2023. https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP23/Session/GP11.73

Brandon F. Lee, Samuel A. Lazerson, HÃ¥kan M. Smith, and Craig D. Beidler. Work in Progress: Direct optimization of ion transport in a W7-X-like reactor case. EUROfusion Theory Simulation Verification and Validation Stellarator Optimization project meeting. July 14, 2023.

Brandon F. Lee, Elizabeth J. Paul, Georg Stadler, and Matt Landreman. Stellarator coil optimization supporting multiple magnetic configurations. Nuclear Fusion 63(1), 014002 (2023). doi:10.1088/1741-4326/aca10d

Brandon F. Lee and Karl D. Hammond. Temperature-dependent model of helium bubble expansion and bursting in tungsten. Journal of Nuclear Materials 554, 153101 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153101

Karl D. Hammond, Brandon F. Lee, Ian V. Naeger, Wathsala Widanagamaachchi, Li-Ta Lo, Dimitrios Maroudas, and Brian D. Wirth. Corrigendum and Addendum: Helium flux effects on bubble growth and surface morphology in plasma-facing tungsten from large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Nuclear Fusion 60(12), 066035 (2020). doi:10.1088/1741-4326/abb2d3

Brandon F. Lee and Elizabeth J. Paul. Stellarator Coil Optimization Supporting Multiple Magnetic Configurations. Oral Presentation, O. M. Stewart Colloquium, University of Missouri. October 4, 2021.

Brandon F. Lee and Elizabeth J. Paul. Stellarator Coil Optimization Supporting Multiple Magnetic Configurations. Contributed Oral Session, Sherwood Fusion Theory Conference. August 16, 2021. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GR-dfkDO-1QdEaIO59qg2epBdIMIfXn6/view

Brandon F. Lee and Elizabeth J. Paul. Stellarator Coil Optimization Supporting Multiple Magnetic Configurations. Spring 2022 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum, University of Missouri. April 19, 2022.

Brandon F. Lee and Elizabeth J. Paul. Stellarator Coil Optimization Supporting Multiple Magnetic Configurations. Undergraduate Poster Session, American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Annual Meeting. November 9, 2021. https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP21/Session/JP11.174

Brandon F. Lee and Karl D. Hammond. Temperature Effects on Relief Pressure of Helium Bubbles in Tungsten. Undergraduate Poster Session, American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Annual Meeting. November 10, 2020. https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP20/Session/JP13.5

Brandon F. Lee and Karl D. Hammond. Temperature Effects on the Relief Pressure of Helium Bubbles in Tungsten. Summer 2020 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum, University of Missouri. July 30, 2020. https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A423307

Brandon F. Lee and Karl D. Hammond. Simulation of Helium in Fusion Reactor Materials. Spring 2020 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum, University of Missouri. May 1, 2020. https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A423244

Awards

Fulbright Grant Recipient at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald, Germany, 2022-23
Tau Beta Pi Fellow, 2022-23
Mark Twain Fellowship Finalist, 2022-23
Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Offer (Declined for Fulbright), 2022
Hertz Fellowship Semifinalist, 2022
University of Missouri Award for Academic Distinction Recipient, 2021
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2021
Sigma Pi Sigma Member, 2021
University of Missouri Chemical Engineering Program Outstanding Junior, 2021
Outstanding Poster Award Recipient at the American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Annual Meeting, 2020
Tau Beta Pi Scholar, 2020-21
Omega Chi Epsilon Member, 2019
Show-Me Scholar, 2017