New Faculty Applies High-Performance Computing, Scientific Machine Learning Interests to Studies in Plasma Physics

This fall, two new assistant professors joined the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) faculty. Qi Tang comes to Georgia Tech from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he was a staff scientist. 

We sat down with Tang to learn more about his background and to introduce him to the Georgia Tech and College of Computing communities. 

Faculty: Qi Tang, assistant professor, School of CSE

Research Interests: Computational Plasma Physics, High-Performance Computing, Scientific Machine Learning

Education: Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Michigan State University; B.S. in Mathematics and Applies Mathematics from Zhejiang University

Hometown: Shaoxing, China

How have your first few months been at Georgia Tech?

It has been full of activities while transitioning from a national lab scientist to a university professor. I have worked on several proposals, attended a couple of conferences, and networked with faculty in the Schools of Mathematics and Physics, in addition to co-mentoring three Ph.D. students, one in CSE and one postdoc. It has been very busy so far but also very enjoyable. 

How did you become interested in computational plasma physics?

I have been always interested in physics since very young but chose math as my undergraduate major because I assumed physicists always had to conduct experiments, which I didn't enjoy. During my Ph.D. studies, I was introduced to computational plasma physics, which became the focus of my thesis. Since then, I have been fascinated by the rich physical phenomena in plasma and their wide range of applications, like fusion, accelerators, and astrophysics. 

What about your experience and research are you most proud?

I am proud of the progress we have been making to understand disruption and instabilities in magnetic confinement fusion (MCF). Working with my physicist collaborators, we have been developing a series of large-scale, multi-physics modeling solvers for fusion whole device modeling. 

As a computational scientist, my role is to develop efficient and scalable algorithms and deploy them on exascale computers. Understanding the disruption in MCF through advanced computing is critical to ensure we can confine hot plasma and continuously generate fusion energy through tokamak or similar MCF devices. 

In addition to my research, I am extremely proud of having successfully converted my first postdoc to a staff scientist at LANL.

What about Georgia Tech convinced you to accept a faculty position?

My research program is very unusual. I did my Ph.D. in applied math but always had a strong interest in high-performance computing. After moving to LANL, I became heavily influenced by collaboration with physicists, developing my primary interest in plasma physics and fusion research. While working at LANL, I also independently developed my interest in scientific machine learning. Therefore, it is hard to picture myself in a traditional department, like math or physics, which feels a bit too narrow for me. 

The School of CSE was a perfect fit due to its broad scope and emphasis on computational science. It was a no-brainer for me to accept the position with CSE.

What are you looking forward to most at Georgia Tech?

I look forward to engaging with students in various ways. Mentoring students and watching them grow is incredibly rewarding. I'm excited that I will have a chance to mentor and teach my own students here.

What are your hobbies and interests when not researching and teaching?

I enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities like running, biking, skiing, hiking, camping. I used to run a lot, but it has been challenging to keep up in Los Alamos due to its high altitude at 7,300 feet. Since moving to Atlanta, I've started running again and running on the Atlanta Beltline trail has been a wonderful experience.

What do you enjoy most about living in Atlanta?

Other than the Beltline trail, I enjoy the fantastic restaurants and the convenient access to a variety of grocery stores here, both of which were lacking in Los Alamos. I also love the trees in Atlanta; they make running even more enjoyable, providing shade and a sense of peace.