About CCFE
Key staff
Biographies of key staff at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. Details of the organisation of JET can be found on the EFDA-JET website.
Professor Steven Cowley –
Chief Executive Officer, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and Head of EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association
Steven Cowley became Director at Culham in September 2008 and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in November 2009. He received his BA from Oxford University and his PhD from Princeton University. Professor Cowley's post-doctoral work was at Culham and he returned to Princeton in 1987. He joined the faculty at the University of California Los Angeles in 1993, rising to the rank of Full Professor in 2000. From 2001 to 2003 he led the plasma physics group at Imperial College, London. He remains a part time professor at Imperial College. He has published over 100 papers and articles. Professor Cowley co-chaired the US National Academy's decadal assessment of, and outlook for, plasma science: Plasma Science: Advancing Knowledge in the National Interest (National Academy Press 2007). He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics.
Mr Martin Cox – Director, MAST Upgrade / MAST Project Division
Martin Cox is responsible for the MAST Upgrade project and for the MAST Project Division. Prior to this he oversaw the day-to-day running of the UK's fusion research programme, and for the operation of JET on behalf of EURATOM and fusion laboratories across Europe. Mr Cox is a theoretical physicist who joined Culham upon graduating, working on plasma modelling. He then became involved in the operation of the experimental facilities. In 1994 he was appointed the Project Manager for the design and construction of the MAST device. From 2000, when UKAEA assumed responsibility for the operation of JET on behalf of the European fusion community, he became manager of Machine Operations Department, overseeing the operation of most of the JET facilities as well as MAST. In 2007 he was appointed Senior Manager for all aspects of JET operation and in 2008 was appointed Assistant Director (Operations), becoming Operations Director following the formation of CCFE in 2009.
Dr Derek Stork – Director, Technology Division
Derek Stork became Assistant Director (Technology) in 2008 and has since been appointed Director of the Technology Division. He leads the UK's work in providing ITER Systems, the Fusion Technology and Materials programmes, DEMO studies, and the MAST Upgrade project. After gaining his PhD, Dr Stork became a Research Associate at CERN. He joined Culham in 1978, working in the Heating and Injection Group. In 1980 he was seconded to JET's Neutral Beam Systems Group. From 1987 he became involved with JET's physics programme as a Session Leader for the Divertor Task Force. Dr Stork then held senior positions at JET including Programme Leader and Head of Neutral Beam Heating Division. In 2000, he became Manager of Culham's Heating and Fuelling Department, responsible for JET and MAST heating systems. From 2000 to 2004 he was also Task Force Leader for JET Deuterium-Tritium experiments, leading the 2003 tritium campaign. Dr Stork has over 100 publications and conference contributions to his name. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.
Mr Eric Hollis – Chief Finance Officer and Director, Support Division
Eric Hollis has over 35 years' experience within the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. He began his career working at the Authority's London headquarters on energy forecasting and has since undertaken a wide range of roles including development and application of HR policy at both HQ and site levels before becoming Head of the Authority's Finance Branch in 1986. After a number of finance-related roles, he was appointed the Head of Corporate Finance for the UKAEA Group in 2003, and additionally acted as UKAEA Ltd's Group Financial Controller after the creation of that company in 2008. He has been on the Board of AEA Insurance Ltd since 1997. He was appointed Chief Finance Officer and Authority Secretary for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in November 2009.
Dr William Morris – Chief Scientist
William Morris has responsibility for providing scientific advice to the Executive, initiating new research areas, assessing the programme and enhancing CCFE’s scientific impact. Dr Morris has spent his entire career in fusion research after a physics degree at the University of
