Juan Miguel Valderrama is a PhD student and research assistant in the Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His main research interests are fusion energy science, technology, policy and education.

Prior to joining Wisconsin, Juan completed his Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering at the University of Florida. During his time at UF, Juan was a student assistant in the Plasma and Fusion Research Group, mentored by Dr. Chris McDevitt. Juan utilized physics-constrained deep learning methods to describe diffusion processes in fusion plasmas.

Juan has also conducted fusion research internships through U.S. Department of Energy funded projects at Argonne National Laboratory and General Atomics. There, his focus lied in particle transport and materials science.

Beyond technical work, Juan is also an involved student leader, serving as the Chair of the Fusion Student Delegation for 2025-2026. His goals are to advance and bridge science, engineering, and policy accomplishments that drive forward the commercialization of fusion energy.