Staff Stories
#joined in 2014;
#China;
#Electrical Systems Program;
#Division Head;
#international school;
#life in Provence;
#accountability;
#respect;
#collaboration;
Jinchao Li manages the Electrical Systems Program at ITER. The Electrical Systems Program converts and provides the controlled pulse power to the magnet coils of the ITER device and protects the coils from major damage and faults. The Program also carries out the engineering design of electrical cable trays and cable routing for the entire ITER project, and provides qualification services on the capacity and performance of the electrical instrumentation of other system equipment working in the tokamak's static magnetic field. As Program Manager, Jinchao functions as a division head.
“I feel very proud to work for ITER Organization.”
Jinchao emphasizes the importance of the baseline in the development of the ITER project. He participated in the establishment of the 2016 Baseline and coordinated with his colleagues to develop the 2024 baseline. He believes that the former guided the project in reaching many significant construction achievements, and that the new baseline will successfully guide the organization in reaching the Start of Research Operation (SRO) targets and beyond.
Jinchao’s many years at the organization have enabled him to witness the progress of the project. “When I joined in 2014, the Tokamak Complex site was only a big, deep pit. Dust was flying in the sky and parts and materials were piled everywhere. Now, if you walk around the worksite, you will find that almost all the buildings have been constructed, some systems have been commissioned, and others are preparing for commissioning." Jinchao is certain that what he calls “the high integration of professional development throughout the advancement of the project” has led him to where he is today, as he moved up the ladder to become Program Manager, and it will continue to motivate him going forward.
For him, the biggest challenge has been to coordinate teams from different cultures, backgrounds, and different industrial experiences in order to achieve a common goal. For example, in preparing for high voltage commissioning, Jinchao found that the main difficulty lay in establishing a common understanding of how challenging the problem was. Different people have different cultural views, and it was only once the challenge was understood and agreed, he says, that the group could start to think about what actions needed to be taken.
According to Jinchao it is important for people to not only look at their own job but the broader picture as well. "Having a high sense of accountability is very, very important, as is a capacity for teamwork.” He also emphasizes that respect and trust are two fundamental values that contribute to good communication and collaboration daily.
Jinchao finds that life in Provence is more comfortable for the younger generation. Both of his daughters attend the international school in Manosque (EIPACA) and he observes that they have less pressure in school than in China, which allows them to “enjoy their lives more.” There are also many interesting things to visit in the region. He and his family take the opportunity to go on trips to other countries to learn about different cultures and languages. He gives the example of Italy to illustrate how you can experience a “different history, different culture, and a different language” not far from your place of work.