Our man from Vladivostok

ITER is an international organization — meaning it is a melting pot for fusion scientists and engineers from all over the world — east and west. But even Beijing or San Francisco, on the other side of the planet, seem to be more familiar to us than Vladivostok, Russia's biggest port situated on the Pacific Ocean, seven time zones away from Moscow. A few miles further out lies Kraskino, the hometown of Denis Stepanov. The young man with distinctive red curls and a charming smile has been a member of the ITER CODAC group since October last year and is in charge of the data management.

Denis obtained a degree in physics automation from the Novosibirsk State University in Siberia. After his graduation he worked on plasma traps at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, one of the major centres for advanced study of nuclear physics in Russia. It is located in the Siberian town of Akademgorodok.

So, when Denis says that "moving to France and working for ITER is a big step for me" we know what he means. "This for sure is a big change to my life: a new country, a new environment, a new job and a new language." But the new territory doesn't scare Denis. He is willing to take the opportunity. So he is busy learning French and exploring French culture. And, by the way, he is going to get married soon.