For more than a century, scientists have explored the secrets of nuclear fusion, the process by which the sun and other stars power themselves. By offering a potentially limitless energy source without the risk of meltdowns or the production of greenhouse gases and long-lived radioactive waste, the field of fusion science may have the power to reshape the world for the better. 

A $5 million gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst, will empower UCLA to launch new research and initiatives at the intersection of fusion science and engineering. This could help unlock avenues of work and discovery that will further position UCLA as a leader in the clean energy revolution.

“Ken Griffin’s support advances fusion science at a moment when interdisciplinary research is essential to addressing global challenges,” said UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk, who was president of the University of Miami when Griffin made a $50 million gift to its Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2024. “At UCLA, our research community works at the boundaries of knowledge to translate discovery into impact for society. This investment accelerates that progress.”

UCLA will use the gift to establish the Kenneth C. Griffin Fusion Science and Engineering Endowed Chair. The university intends to create a new fusion science and engineering master’s degree program — the first accelerated master’s program of its kind — to be housed in the UCLA College Division of Physical Sciences in partnership with the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. The chairholder would be executive director.

“Fusion science may hold the key to humanity’s future, so we need our best and brightest exploring the field and pushing its boundaries forward,” said Miguel García-Garibay, dean of physical sciences and senior dean of the UCLA College. “We are so grateful for Ken Griffin’s generosity in ensuring that Bruins are at the forefront of an area that has the potential to improve the world for us all.”

“Unlocking the power of fusion energy would be one of humanity’s greatest achievements, providing our nation and the world with an abundant source of clean and reliable energy,” said Griffin. “I’m proud to support UCLA in advancing this vital research and training the next generation of fusion engineers, physicists and researchers.”

It is an exciting development for both UCLA and the field, according to Stuart Brown, chair of the UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy.

“The establishment of the Griffin Chair builds on UCLA’s strengths in plasma science and engineering at a time of intense national interest in the potential for fusion as a source of energy,” said Brown. “UCLA is especially well positioned for growth in this scientifically and technologically important area.”

By offering the possibility of a solution for clean, reliable and safe energy, fusion science has attracted massive interest from multiple industries, companies and startups, generating more job opportunities than there are qualified people to fill them. The proposed new master’s program would help ensure that UCLA graduates are uniquely qualified and positioned to address this need and take a hands-on role in shaping the future of the industry.

“With recent breakthroughs and rapidly growing private-sector investment, fusion has moved from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology,” said Troy Carter, a UCLA professor of physics and astronomy on a leave of absence while serving as director of the fusion energy division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

“UCLA has played an important role in enabling this moment through the research of its students and faculty and through the accomplishments of its alumni. This visionary gift will allow UCLA to continue generating the innovations and attracting the talent essential to the future of fusion energy,” he said.

In addition to furthering Griffin’s support to the university, where he gave $5 million to the Geffen Academy at UCLA in 2023, this gift builds on Griffin’s long record of finding and funding creative solutions to America’s most urgent challenges, including supporting STEM education, scientific research, entrepreneurship and innovation to advance U.S. global competitiveness. Through his civic engagement initiative Griffin Catalyst, he supports work dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives.

“We are excited for this visionary gift, which will empower UCLA faculty and students to collaborate across campus and disciplines to move fusion science forward,” said Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park, the Ronald and Valerie Sugar Dean of UCLA Samueli. “Ken Griffin’s generosity will create countless opportunities and highlight what makes UCLA such an impactful driver of change and innovation.”