UKAEA’s CEO receives knighthood in King’s honours list

Professor Sir Ian Chapman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has been made Knight Bachelor for his services to global fusion energy.

The full New Year Honours list for 2023 recognises achievements and service of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom.

Fusion energy offers the potential of an abundant, inherently safe low-carbon electricity supply. It involves fusing hydrogen particles in a hot gas known as a ‘plasma’ to unlock large amounts of energy.

Professor Sir Ian Chapman has driven the UK’s fusion programme to be a world leader in the race to transform and develop clean energy.

As CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), he has transformed the organisation to include new commercial areas such as robotics and materials.

During Brexit, he enabled the UK-based Joint European Torus (JET) to continue operating, saving over 600 jobs whilst providing critical science for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) collaboration.

In 2019, he was elected Chair of the International Atomic Energy Authority’s fusion research committee…Read more