Daniel Kennedy is a theoretical plasma physicist at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. His research interests include general plasma physics, magnetic confinement fusion, plasma astrophysics, and astrophysical gas dynamics. Daniel’s current work focuses on electromagnetic plasma turbulence and the role it plays in setting the confinement of next-generation spherical tokamak reactors. He is particularly interested in reduced mathematical models of turbulence driven by kinetic ballooning modes (KBMs) and microtearing modes (MTMs). 

 Daniel is a visiting scholar in the theoretical astrophysics and plasma physics group at the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, and he is also involved in teaching Mathematics courses in the
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford. 

Before returning to Oxford, Daniel completed his PhD on the kinetic theory of electron-positron plasmas, supervised by Prof. Per Helander in the Stellarator Theory division of the Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. His research involved understanding the underlying physical challenges on the road to magnetic confinement of electron-positron plasmas. A recurring source of plasma instabilities can be, to a significant degree, attributed to the large difference in mass ratio between the positively charged species (ions) and negatively charged species (electrons). In contrast to conventional ion-electron plasmas, electron-positron (pair) plasmas consist of particles exhibiting charge asymmetry and mass symmetry and present an exciting new frontier in plasma physics, with mass symmetry resulting in unique behaviour. Daniel’s work focused on several subfields such as (i) the kinetic theory of Coulomb collisions in strongly anisotropic plasmas; (ii) linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations using both Eulerian and particle-in-cell (PIC) codes; and (iii) the theory of non-neutral and partially neutralised plasmas. 

 Prior to obtaining his PhD, Daniel completed an undergraduate degree in Mathematics, Oxford and a Master’s degree in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, both at Merton College.

 Timeline

2021-present: Plasma Turbulence Modeller, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy.

2017-2020: PhD, Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics.

2016-2017: MMathPhys Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, Merton College, University of Oxford.

2013-2016: BA Mathematics, Merton College, University of Oxford