The School of Engineering (IST), known informally in Portuguese as the Técnico, was created in 1911 following the division of the former Lisbon Industrial and Commercial Institute. In 1930 IST, which had been operating for 20 years, was one of the four Schools that became part of the newly established The Technical University of Lisbon. Since then, a thorough education in basic sciences, complemented by specialised training that is kept up-to-date with technological progress, has always been the basis of IST's educational system. It is also the key to explaining the high quality of engineers that the school has trained generation after generation and the important role that many of them have played in Portugal's development. Since its foundation, IST has continued to grow in terms of both quality and quantity, making increasingly important contributions to Portugal's social and economic development. High-quality university education and R&D, in increasing synergy with the economic sector, are the hallmarks of today's IST. This is why it is considered, both in Portugal and abroad, as one of the great schools of engineering, science and technology, on a par with the best Schools in the world in these areas.
Research at IST is organized in centres and institutes that pursue challenging research programmes and address problems with a strong societal impact. The IFPN is the Institute for Plasma and Nuclear Fusion, a research unit that is part of the centre for "Energy, Environment and Mobility". Our global position allows us to act as a central hub for research, advanced formation and training, and technological transfer in Plasma Physics and Engineering, Controlled Nuclear Fusion, Lasers and Photonics, and Advanced Computing. Our high expertise allows us to have an important participation in the landmark EU large-scale research projects (e.g. JET, ITER, HIPER, ELI) through the collaboration in the scientific and technical activities of these projects, and the active presence on their governing boards. Research with the Thematic Area in Controlled Nuclear Fusion includes activities carried out both in Portugal (mainly related with the tokamak ISTTOK) and abroad (in relation with the operation and scientific exploitation of large and medium-sized tokamaks and stellarator: JET, ASDEX-Upgrade, TCV, and TJ-II), as well as with the design and construction of the next generation fusion devices (ITER and W7-X).
- Magnetic Confinement Fusion Devices
- Fusion Engineering Systems
- Participation in the Fusion Technology Programme under EFDA
- Fusion Theory and Modelling
- Inertial Fusion
- Research with the Thematic Area in Intense Lasers and Plasmas Technology
See also: http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/portal
