As part of our continued effort to maintain a strong and inclusive leadership structure, MagNetUS is now accepting nominations for several Executive Committee roles. These positions offer a great opportunity to help shape the direction of the network and serve the broader magnetized plasma research community.

The positions that are open for election this cycle are:

• Chair-Elect (Vice Chair) – 3-year term

• Annual Meeting Chair – 1-year term

• User Base Working Group Chair – 2-year term

• Outreach & Education Working Group Chair – 2-year term

Note: The Software and Facilities Working Group Chairs (currently held by Jimmy Juno and Peiyun Shi, respectively) are continuing in their roles through next year and will not be part of this cycle.

We encourage community members to nominate colleagues—or to consider running themselves. If you’re unsure about any role, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are happy to answer questions, clarify responsibilities, and support new candidates throughout the process.

Your participation in this process strengthens the voice and resilience of the MagNetUS community.

Highlight: The CHIMERAS Project – A New Design Framework for High-Beta Collisionless Plasmas

A new article in the Journal of Plasma Physics presents the design framework for the CHIMERAS project (Collisionless HIgh-beta Magnetized Experiment Researching Astrophysical Systems). This ambitious initiative aims to build the first laboratory device capable of producing a collisionless, magnetized plasma at high ion beta (βi ≳ 1), opening a previously inaccessible regime that is central to energy and momentum transport in astrophysical systems such as the solar wind, galaxy clusters, and accretion disks.

The CHIMERAS working group, operating under the MagNetUS umbrella, has brought together more than 30 scientists from across theory, simulation, space observations, and laboratory plasma experiments. Their first two design workshops (2024) established preliminary plasma parameters, diagnostic requirements, and the necessity of a source-target geometry—where a confined plasma expands into a large target chamber, mimicking solar-wind–like conditions. Key challenges ahead include diagnostic development (such as adapting laser-induced fluorescence and Thomson scattering to this new regime), vessel scale optimization, and refinement of plasma drive methods.

Beyond its science mission, CHIMERAS is envisioned as a training and outreach hub, engaging students, postdocs, and early-career researchers across diverse institutions, and strengthening ties between heliophysics, astrophysics, and plasma physics communities.

Read the full paper: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/article/chimeras-project-design-framework-for-the-collisionless-highbeta-magnetized-experiment-researching-astrophysical-systems/2F1330A8D1BA98C1B43BE6258620B253 

Explore the MagNetUS collection of papers: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/collections/papers-from-magnetus 

Learn more about the CHIMERAS project: https://www.chimerasproject.org/ 

We spoke with Jim about his journey into plasma physics, the role of mentorship, and what he wishes more students knew about entering the field.

Have you found a sense of community or mentorship in your journey so far?

Yes, absolutely, but it took a while to get there. I didn’t really think of myself as a scientist until after my sophomore year of college. That summer, I worked with Darren Craig building power supplies for the Wheaton Impulsive Reconnection eXperiment. The next year, I joined the NUF program at PPPL, working under the guidance of Masaaki Yamada and Seth Dorfman. I was fortunate to have supportive and encouraging mentors in both experiences, which opened my eyes to opportunities in plasma physics. Those experiences continue to shape how I see plasma physics—as a discipline where both early research experiences and quality mentors play a crucial role in welcoming students into the field.

What do you wish more people knew about entering the field of plasma science—especially students or early-career researchers?

I wish more students knew that plasma science is much more accessible than it might first appear. Plasma science can be intimidating because it spans everything from fusion energy to space physics to industrial applications, but that breadth means there are many ways to get into the field. Also, you don’t need to start as an expert—curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to learn go a long way. Students might not always appreciate how collaborative the field is. For students, that means your contributions matter, even early on. Whether it’s building an instrument, running simulations, or analyzing data, there’s real science to be done from the get-go.

• 2025 Joint Call for Runtime Proposals

The 2025 Joint Call for Runtime Proposals was released earlier this year to allow more time for eligible teams to prepare proposals for collaborative research across participating frontier plasma science facilities. Review of the submitted proposals is now underway. We’re excited to see the creativity and breadth of the research ideas coming from our community.

More information: https://sites.google.com/view/2025-magnetus-joint-call

• NSF Plasma Physics Program Webinar

When: Friday, October 17, 2025, 1pm - 2pm Eastern Time

Register in advance for this webinar: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_seP4VdK6Tp-PERJf5EmIFQ

Agenda:

1) NSF and plasma physics program news and updates

2) Extensive Q&A 

• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) anticipates accepting applications this Fall in the usual manner.  

The solicitation is coming soon (or may be posted by the time of this distribution).  The program has the following deadlines for application submissions in topical areas of possible interest to the MagNetUS community:

October 29, 2025 - Engineering

October 30, 2025 - Chemistry; Geosciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy

• NSF Plasma Physics Program is accepting new and renewal proposals 

for investigator-initiated research projects in the usual manner with the November 17, 2025 submission deadline for consideration in Fiscal Year 2026.  As stated in the Program Description, proposals should be submitted to the solicitation NSF 23-615, Division of Physics: Investigator-Initiated Research Projects (PHY).  

Potential proposal queries regarding scientific scope relevance to the Plasma Physics program should include a one-two page white paper clearly stating the science question to be addressed and briefly describing the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the project to be proposed.  Note that the NSF Plasma Physics program prioritizes support for academic faculty, their students, and postdocs.  The listing of the currently active awards supported by the program is available on the NSF awards webpage.

Please, contact Program Directors Vyacheslav (Slava) Lukin, vlukin@nsf.gov, and Jeremiah Williams, jdwillia@nsf.gov, with any queries regarding potential proposal submissions.

• APS Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) 2025 Annual Meeting – November 17–21, Long Beach, CA

We look forward to seeing many of you at APS DPP this fall! This year’s meeting will take place in Long Beach, California. As in past years, MagNetUS is planning to host a community event at the meeting—stay tuned for details. Meeting info: https://engage.aps.org/dpp/meetings/annual-meeting

• Student Day at APS DPP – Sunday, November 16

Student Day will be held the day before the APS DPP meeting officially begins. Designed to welcome first-time student attendees, the program includes lightning talks, a review lecture, and group activities in a relaxed environment. The $30 registration fee (paid through APS DPP registration) includes meals and snacks. Students are encouraged to arrive that morning; space will be available for luggage and rest. Details: https://dpp-connect.org/studentday

• DIII-D Facility Tour – Sunday, November 16

To coincide with APS DPP in Long Beach, the DIII-D National Fusion Facility will offer a guided tour for conference attendees on Sunday, November 16. Buses will depart from Long Beach at 10:00 AM and return around 5:00 PM. The tour is free and includes lunch, but registration is required as space is limited. Reserve a spot: https://forms.office.com/g/nKAcNgujAv Questions? Email: contact@d3dfusion.org

• AGU Fall Meeting 2025 – December 15–19, New Orleans, LA

The AGU Fall Meeting continues to be an important venue for sharing plasma science relevant to space physics, heliophysics, and geospace applications. Abstract submissions closed in July, but registration is ongoing. Learn more: https://www.agu.org/annual-meeting/present#overview

We’re excited to continue our online tutorial seminar series aimed at bridging the gap between textbook learning and active research. These talks are designed to be educational and accessible, especially for students and early-career researchers. We anticipate holding seminars roughly once a month, depending on speaker availability.

Since launching the series in May with the first tutorial, “Foundations of Machine Learning for Physicists” by Nat Mathews (University of Maryland), we’ve added two more excellent sessions:

• Speaker: Dr. Nick Murphy
  Title: Creating Your First Python Package with uv
  Abstract: One of the most exciting recent additions to the Python ecosystem is uv: an extremely fast Python package and project manager. In this live coding tutorial, Dr. Murphy demonstrates how to use uv to create and manage Python projects—from individual scripts to full libraries.

• Speaker: Dr. Nick Murphy
  Title: Writing Your First Software Test with pytest
  Abstract: Automated testing helps us verify that our code works as intended—quickly, reliably, and repeatedly. In this live tutorial, Dr. Murphy introduces the process of writing software tests using pytest, the most popular Python testing framework. Whether you’re new to testing or looking to sharpen your skills, this session offers practical tools you can use right away.

All recordings are available on the MagNetUS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MagNetUSplasma
We encourage you to watch, subscribe, and share these tutorials—especially with your students!

Have an idea for a future tutorial? Want to suggest a speaker (or volunteer yourself)? Please use this form to submit ideas: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIN0yxYlL3XGZSktiNWbQQ_UVGvTHDopDL70eRE6jxo5eKzA/viewform 

We look forward to your input and hope you enjoy this growing resource!

We’re always looking to feature updates and accomplishments from across the MagNetUS network in each issue of our newsletter. If you have any of the following, we’d love to hear from you:

• Recent publications or preprints

• Student awards or professional recognitions

• Open job postings, internships, or postdoc positions

• Upcoming events, deadlines, or opportunities relevant to the community

Please send your submissions to orlov@magnetus.net and help us showcase the vibrant work being done across our field.

Your contributions help keep the community connected, informed, and inspired.

• MagNetUS Website https://magnetus.net

• MagNetUS 2025 Annual Meeting (WVU) https://magnetus-2025.pa.ucla.edu

• Joint Call for Runtime Proposals (2025 site) http://callforruntimeproposals.org

• Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory http://www.brynmawrplasma.com/

• Small College Plasma Consortium https://smallcollegeplasma.org/

• PlasmaPy Project https://www.plasmapy.org

• APS DPP CPP https://sites.google.com/pppl.gov/dpp-cpp

• FESAC Long-Range Plan (2021) https://science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/fesac/pdf/2020/FESAC_LRP_FinalReport_20210312.pdf

• NASEM report https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/a-decadal-assessment-of-plasma-science