When Zoe Fisher was in the fourth grade, her art instructor requested that she illustrate her conceptualization of an ideal job on paper. At that moment, her aspirations varied like the flavors of an ice cream parlor — “zookeeper” was a prominent choice for a period — but Zoe instantly recognized what she wished to depict: a mad scientist.
Upon discovering the drawing in her parents’ home in Chicago recently, it felt fortuitous because, by all accounts, she has fulfilled that childhood ambition. The second-year doctoral candidate at MIT’s Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) is investigating materials for fusion energy facilities at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC), guided by Michael Short, an associate professor at NSE. Dennis Whyte, Hitachi America Professor of Engineering at NSE, acts as co-advisor.
On course for an MIT education
Raised in Chicago, Fisher was aware of her parents commenting on her analytical skills. At a tender age, she contended that she couldn’t have originated from a purple speckled egg, as her parents suggested.
Fisher didn’t realize the extent of her inclination toward science until a high school physics instructor motivated her to apply to MIT. Enthusiastic about both the arts and sciences, she initially feared that studying science would be overly structured, leaving little room for creativity. However, she now understands that devising solutions to challenges necessitates significant imaginative thought.
A visit to MIT through the Weekend Immersion in Science and Engineering (WISE) really expanded her understanding of the opportunities an MIT education offers. “It just appeared that the undergraduate experience here allows you to be unapologetically yourself. There’s no need to pretend to be something you’re not. There’s so much authenticity compared to most other universities I considered,” Fisher states. Upon acceptance, Campus Preview Weekend reaffirmed her sense of belonging. “We got to be silly and quirky — a version of the Mafia game was a hit — and I thought, ‘These are my people,’” Fisher chuckles.
Pursuing fusion at NSE
Before officially commencing her first year in 2018, Fisher participated in the Freshman Pre-Orientation Program (FPOP), which begins a week prior to orientation. Each FPOP focuses on a specific field. “I applied to the nuclear one simply because it sounded fascinating and I didn’t know anything about it,” Fisher remarks. She was captivated immediately. “They really caught me with that ‘star in a bottle’ phrase,” she laughs. (The pursuit of commercial fusion entails creating the energy equivalent of a star in a bottle). Enthusiastic after a presentation by Zachary Hartwig, Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor at NSE, Fisher inquired if she could engage in fusion research as an undergraduate via an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) project. She commenced by modeling solders for power plants and was instantly captivated. When Fisher sought more experimental work, Hartwig connected her with Research Scientist David Fischer at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC). Fisher ultimately transitioned to investigating superconductors, which evolved into the research for her master’s thesis.
For her doctoral research, Fisher is expanding upon her master’s work to examine defects in ceramics, particularly in alumina (aluminum oxide). Sapphire coatings represent the single-crystal equivalent of alumina, an insulator being investigated for potential use in fusion energy facilities. “I ultimately want to determine what kinds of charge defects emerge in ceramics during radiation damage so we can engineer radiation-resistant sapphire,” Fisher expresses.
When a material is introduced in a fusion power facility, stray high-energy neutrons generated by the plasma can collide and fundamentally restructure the lattice, likely altering a range of thermal, electrical, and structural attributes. “Picture a scaffold surrounding a building, with each of those joints representing a different atom that stabilizes your material in place. If you remove a joint, there’s a chance you’ve extracted a structurally sound joint, in which case everything remains fine. However, there’s also a risk that you remove a joint, and everything changes. And [such unpredictability] poses a challenge,” Fisher explains. “We must be able to accurately predict how these neutrons will modify the lattice properties,” Fisher states, a crucial aspect explored in her research.
The findings could serve as a foundation for irradiating superconductors. The aims are two-fold: “I want to discover how to create an industry-applicable ceramic for insulating the inner part of a fusion power facility and also ascertain whether I can leverage the information gained from ceramics to make it relevant for superconductors,” Fisher explains. “Superconductors are the electromagnets that will contain the plasma within fusion plants. Yet, they prove quite challenging to study. Since they are also ceramic, many parallels can be drawn between alumina and yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), the specific superconductor we utilize,” she adds. Fisher is equally enthusiastic about the various experiments she conducts utilizing a particle accelerator, one of which involves precisely measuring how surface thermal properties shift during radiation.
Navigating new pathways
Fisher appreciates not only her research. As an undergraduate, as well as during her master’s, she was part of the varsity sailing team. “I found myself sailing alongside actual Olympians, which I did not anticipate,” she remarks. Fisher takes part in Chicago’s Race to Mackinac and the Melges 15 Series whenever possible. Out of all the types of boats she has sailed, she prefers dinghy sailing. “It’s more physically demanding; you have to throw yourself around continually, and there’s this immediate cause and effect, which I appreciate,” Fisher shares. She also instructs sailing lessons during the summer at MIT’s Sailing Pavilion — you can locate her on a small motorboat, issuing commands through a speaker.
Teaching has played an essential role throughout Fisher’s journey at MIT. Through MISTI, Fisher has instructed high school courses in Germany and a radiation and materials course in Armenia during her senior year. She adored the cuisine and culture in Armenia and appreciated how eager individuals were to absorb new knowledge. Her passion for teaching continues, as she has reached out to high schools in the Boston area. “I enjoy engaging with groups and igniting their enthusiasm for fusion, or maybe just encouraging them to consider graduate school,” Fisher asserts, noting that mentoring students in a hands-on experiment is “one of the most fulfilling experiences.”
She has also grasped the importance of resilience and quick decision-making during various MISTI excursions. Despite her affinity for travel, Fisher has faced a few daunting experiences with challenging scenarios and plans falling apart unexpectedly. It’s during those times that she reminds herself, “Well, the only thing you will do is keep pursuing what you set out to achieve.”
This focused mindset has proven beneficial for Fisher and continues to support her in her research endeavors today.