Physicist Tammy Ma Aims to Bring Abundant Clean Energy Through Nuclear Fusion

As director of the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology, Ma is leading the decades-long effort to produce commercial energy from fusion.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tammy Ma, director of the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology, is at the forefront of the quest to develop nuclear fusion as a new source of abundant, carbon-free energy. In 2022, the National Ignition Facility she oversees achieved a historic milestone by producing a net energy gain from fusion, a breakthrough that could pave the way for commercial fusion power. However, Ma remains cautious about overpromising, aware of the challenges ahead in harnessing fusion energy on a large scale.

Why it matters

The development of viable fusion energy could provide a transformative solution to the world's growing energy demands and reliance on fossil fuels, offering a path to abundant, clean, and sustainable power. Ma's work at the Livermore Institute is at the heart of this critical scientific endeavor, with the potential to significantly impact the global energy landscape.

The details

In 2022, scientists at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, where Ma serves as director, achieved a breakthrough by producing a net energy gain from fusion, a long-sought milestone in the decades-long effort to develop fusion as a commercial energy source. This involved firing 192 high-powered lasers at a tiny fuel pellet, replicating the processes that power the sun. While the team was cautious in confirming the findings, the achievement marked a significant step forward in the quest for fusion energy.

  • In early December 2022, the National Ignition Facility achieved fusion ignition.
  • Ma received the news while preparing to board a flight to Washington, D.C. on that same day.

The players

Tammy Ma

The director of the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology, who has been at the forefront of the effort to develop nuclear fusion as a new source of abundant, clean energy.

National Ignition Facility

A research facility in Livermore, California, where scientists have been working to achieve fusion ignition, a critical milestone in the development of fusion energy.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We had been burned in the past. We have learned to be very, very careful.”

— Tammy Ma, Director, Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology (Washington Post)

“Our job as the national lab is to be the arbiter of truth.”

— Tammy Ma, Director, Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology (Washington Post)

What’s next

The Livermore team will continue to refine and build upon the breakthrough achieved in 2022, working to overcome the significant technical challenges in harnessing fusion energy on a commercial scale.

The takeaway

Tammy Ma's leadership at the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology has positioned her at the forefront of the quest to develop fusion energy, a transformative technology that could provide abundant, clean, and sustainable power to meet the world's growing energy demands. While the path to commercial fusion energy remains long and difficult, Ma's cautious optimism and commitment to open communication about the science and its potential implications are crucial in driving this critical scientific endeavor forward.