23 Nov 2022
Today, 23rd November, the CGLN are delighted to announce the newest member of our expert collection of Fellows, Dr Melanie Windridge.
Dr Melanie Windridge is a specialist in fusion energy who helps people see the value, opportunities and excitement of fusion. She is a plasma physicist, speaker, writer… with a taste for adventure.
Melanie has a PhD in plasma physics (fusion energy) from Imperial College London where she remains an Academic Visitor. She is the founder and CEO of Fusion Energy Insights, a company that keeps people up to date with developments in the growing fusion industry. She was previously UK Director of the Fusion Industry Association and has worked as a consultant for privately-funded fusion company Tokamak Energy since 2013. She sits on the Advisory Boards of the UK Fusion Cluster and US non-profit Energy for the Common Good. She is the author of Star Chambers: the race for fusion power and has also worked in education with the Ogden Trust, the Institute of Physics and the UK government campaign “Your Life”.
Melanie’s personal projects combine science with adventure. Her book Aurora: In Search of The Northern Lights (William Collins, 2016) investigates the science of the aurora against a backdrop of travel that also illuminates the places, the landscapes and the stories. In 2018 Melanie climbed Mount Everest, filming and writing to tell the story of the science that gets us to the summit, and producing a YouTube series for the Institute of Physics. She is a previous Vice President of the prestigious Alpine Club.
A regular public speaker, Melanie has addressed audiences at wide-ranging events, from science and literature festivals to climate conferences and global summits. She is a frequent contributor to high level panel discussions on fusion and energy, as well as moderating such discussions, and gives introductory talks on fusion to investors and business leaders.
Melanie has made countless television, radio and podcast appearances, both UK and abroad, including programmes for the BBC and National Geographic Channel. She has written articles for The Sunday Times Magazine, Forbes, Physics World and more.
Melanie is interested in the notion of “impossibles” – grand challenges once seen as impossible but attainable through investigation, ingenuity and grit – the race to the poles, Everest, space, fusion energy…. Melanie believes that science and exploration go hand in hand.
Speaking to the appointment, CGLN Director, Yulia Chekuneava said:
'Melanie was a brilliant and insightful speaker during our recent conference looking into new nuclear technology. I am delighted to welcome Melanie to our Network and continue to learn more about the possibilities of fusion.'
About the CGLN:
The CGLN is an independent, private, and not-for-profit organisation, harnessing the power of networks to build a platform for academic and scientific innovators to connect with business leaders, financiers and policymakers to generate solutions to tackle the climate crisis and build a prosperous world.
We recognise that individuals and organisations around the world are working to develop practical solutions as to how we decarbonise our world. We are building an organisation to connect thinking with action, and to encourage collaboration across sectors, disciplines, and generations.