Meet Ryan, Interim CTO at Element 3 Energy

With a background that bridges nuclear engineering, process design, and fusion technology strategy, Ryan brings both technical depth and commercial awareness to his role as Interim CTO at Element 3 Energy. A final-year Chemical and Nuclear Engineering student at the University of Leeds, he is building a career at the forefront of fusion system development, from engineering hydrogen isotope separation processes to evaluating the economics that underpin next-generation energy technologies. 

Before joining Element 3 Energy, Ryan gained extensive experience across the fusion sector. During his year-long industrial placement at AtkinsRéalis, he contributed to the UKAEA STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) fuel-cycle design with a focus on hydrogen-isotope separation technologies. He was also seconded to the UKAEA as a Process Modelling Engineer, where he worked on tritium extraction vacuum systems for EU DEMO breeder blankets under EUROfusion.

Ryan’s journey into fusion began through the UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Programme (now FOSTER), where he interned at Fusion Energy Insights. In this role, he worked on outreach materials for investors and was struck by the sector’s rapid growth and immense potential. Motivated to further apply his nuclear engineering background, he went on to join the Fusion Advisory Services, where he delivers technoeconomic reports on fusion energy to support developers, investors, and government agencies. This experience led him to work on fusion projects at AtkinsRéalis, and ultimately to his current role at Element 3 Energy, where he continues to contribute to the sector’s commercialisation.

So why Element 3 Energy? 

Element 3 Energy stood out to Ryan because it sits at the intersection of two critical challenges for fusion: materials supply and commercial deployment. As Interim CTO, he has undertaken conceptual process design work to assess the feasibility of a lithium-refinement pilot plant, developed cost estimates in line with AACE standards, and supported qualification and procurement activities to secure reliable lithium sources.

He has also represented Element 3 Energy externally at the Fusion Igniter, sharing the company’s vision with the wider fusion community. Ryan is excited to continue contributing to the development of the first dedicated lithium supply chain for fusion – an essential step in enabling the industry to scale.

In his words:

“Beyond delivering reliable, low-carbon energy to the grid, fusion offers a platform technology poised to reshape entire industries. Fusion’s high-temperature process heat could revolutionize sectors such as chemicals, steel, and hydrogen production. And that’s just the start: it could support data centres, enable medical isotope production, and power deep space missions.”

At present, D-T fusion remains the most promising pathway, but its success depends on securing the materials that make the reaction possible – particularly lithium, which is used to breed tritium. Ryan believes that ensuring a robust, high-quality lithium supply chain will be critical to avoid bottlenecks and keep momentum towards one of the most significant scientific milestones of our time.

We’re proud to have Ryan’s leadership, technical insight, and strategic vision guiding Element 3 Energy’s work at the forefront of fusion innovation.