David Pace
Professional Experience
David is the Deputy Director of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, a US Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility located in San Diego and operated by General Atomics. After completing his Ph.D. in plasma physics at the University of California, Los Angeles, he conducted fusion energy research across a number of facilities around the world. He is a co-winner of the 2014 Landau-Spitzer Award jointly given by the American and European Physical Societies for international collaboration. In 2019, David was recognized by Fusion Power Associates with the Excellence in Fusion Engineering award for his contributions to the creation of new research diagnostic systems.
David completed a Master of Business Administration at San Diego State University in 2022, submitting a thesis on the topic of utilizing partnerships between public research facilities and industry to accelerate the development of commercial fusion energy. In his role as deputy director at DIII-D, David oversees industry engagement and helps startups and established companies to make the most of the facility.