Short Bio

Pablo Rodriguez-Fernandez is a Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he serves as Scientific Lead for Integrated Modeling and runs the MFE Integrated Modeling group. His research combines first-principles turbulence simulations, integrated modeling and machine-learning-based optimization to predict and design the performance of burning-plasma, magnetic-confinement fusion devices. He develops the open-source PORTALS and MAESTRO frameworks, has led the core performance predictions for the SPARC tokamak, and contributes to the physics basis of the ARC fusion power plant.

Pablo holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from MIT (2019), a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University (2014) and a master’s degree in Energy Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2013). He has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed journal papers. His honors include the Del Favero Doctoral Thesis Prize and the Manson Benedict Award at MIT, the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Science (2021), and being a finalist for the 2026 Princesa de Girona Research Award.