Can I get into a good Nuclear Fusion graduate program?

[santhoshetty]

I finished my bachelors in electronics and communication in 2014 from India. Since then I have worked as an Application Engineer in the VLSI domain at a reputed company. I would like to transition to Nuclear Fusion Physics. I am planning to give my Physics GRE in October 2015.

Some background that will help assess my profile:
In my final year of engineering, I came up with a theoretical framework (list of apparatus, their dimensions and arrangement, input power, error estimate) for an experimental setup that would perform microwave interferometry to gauge the plasma densities. This was performed unofficially for a PhD student who was working on the same and was employing invasive methods like the langmuir probe and requested us to provide a relatively non invasive solution. My professor, being a PhD in Microwave Engineering agreed to do so. As such I do not have an official paper of the same although there are small chances that I can get it into record, for which I am in the process of writing a report. However, I am fairly certain that my professor will attest to this fact in an LoR.
I do not know about fluid mechanics and other physics fields but I think I can get a decent score on the PGRE. However, I plan to learn these after my PGRE.

Other important things I have done in my engg:
International conference paper published on Face Recognition and Optimization.
Undergraduate thesis on Behavioral control design of autonomous robot navigation.
Computer languages like C, matlab, verilog hdl.

I know that plasma diagnostics specially microwave based plays a huge role in a nuclear fusion system. Can this experience and my professor's LoR along with a good PGRE score warrant an admission into a good Nuclear Fusion oriented program?

My research interests are related to Plasma confinement of which turbulence, instabilities and disruption handling are fields I want to focus on. You could say I am interested in seeing a whole nuclear fusion reactor like ITER built solidly. As such I am also interested in the first wall materials, tritium breeding, ICF and concepts like the stellarator.

Can someone please help me ? What are some good colleges that will cater to my interests? I was also looking at the Erasmus Mundus Nuclear Fusion and Engg Physics Masters program. Can someone shed some light on it ?

 

[DEvens]

Welcome to the forum.

Question like "can I get into this school?" are usually best answered by contacting the school you are considering. They can best answer your questions about what you need to be admitted, what finances you will need, what requirements the degree program has, and so on.

Google is your friend.

Find some profs who do work that looks like you would be interested. Find the admissions office at their university. Email them. Email the profs and ask if they have room for a new grad student. If they say they do not have room, then ask them if they could suggest any other prof who might have a similar program who did have room.

Also, ask what scholarships and other financial support you should apply for. Many of these awards will not consider you unless you apply.