Research

Research Interests

• Nonlinear Control; Adaptive Control; Optimal & Robust Control; Nonparametric Control; RKHS Embedding Methods; Adaptive Dynamic Programming; Reinforcement Learning
• Data-Driven Modeling; Koopman Operator Theory; Online Parametric and Nonparametric Estimation; Physics-Informed Machine Learning; Model Reduction
• Optimization and Surrogate Modeling of High-Temperature Plasmas; Advanced Control of Magnetically Confined Plasmas; AI-Driven Plasma Solutions

Research Experience

Experimental Campaigns at Major International Fusion Research Facilities

• Proximity Control and Safe Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Plasma Regulation with Stability Limit Avoidance, KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research), Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE), Daejeon, South Korea (March 2026)
  • Led the development and integration of the safe reinforcement learning category in the KSTAR plasma control system (PCS).
  • Collaborated with GA and KFE specialists on proximity control and plasma density regulation.
  • Led the experimental evaluation of reference governor and safe reinforcement learning algorithms for plasma regulation with density-limit avoidance in KSTAR.
• Adaptive Density Regulation for ITER and Future Reactors by Simultaneous Gas Puffing and Pellet Injection, KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research), Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE), Daejeon, South Korea (March 2026)
  • Participated in collaborative KSTAR experiments on real-time plasma density control using a controller framework adapted from prior DIII-D studies.
  • Provided technical guidance on modifications to the underlying control code during its porting to the KSTAR plasma control system.
• Optimal Actuator Allocation for Integrated Control, TCV, Swiss Plasma Center, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland (December 2025)
  • Provided technical and algorithmic guidance for the implementation of an actuator allocation algorithm in the TCV plasma control system in collaboration with the Swiss Plasma Center team and ITER researchers.
  • Participated in experimental validation of the allocation algorithm across multiple plasma control test cases.
• Advanced Density Control in DIII-D for ITER and Beyond, DIII-D National Fusion Facility, General Atomics, San Diego, CA, USA (April 2025)
  • Guided the development of a model reference adaptive plasma density controller incorporating gas-puffing delays.
  • Provided theoretical oversight for the controller design.
  • Participated in collaborative experiments demonstrating adaptive plasma-density regulation using pellet injection and delayed gas puffing.
• Advanced Density Regulation for ITER and Future Reactors by Simultaneous Gas Puffing and Pellet Injection, KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research), Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE), Daejeon, South Korea (January 2025)
  • Assisted in the development and validation of KSTAR plasma control system (PCS) infrastructure for mimicking ITER-like delayed gas puffing.
  • Collaborated with KFE specialists on plasma control and pellet injection systems.