Fusion veteran George Miley, Emeritus Professor at the University of Illinois, chronicles 45 years of research experiences in a new book: Life at the Center of the Energy Crisis: A Technologists Search for a Black Swan.

Miley defines a Black Swan as "an unexpected event which has immense direction-changing implications". He says, " I mentally equated a Black Swan to possible new physics phenomena which everyone had overlooked". In his book, he describes a number of such events with which he has been associated but of which he cannot honestly say he was the main discoverer. These included the early development of the burnable poison concept for nuclear submarines (George worked on Admiral Rickover's project at General Electric early in his career), demonstration of the first diode electron beam pumped lasers (George worked on these at Cornell University with Norman Rostoker in the early 1970s), the exploration of various advanced laser concepts (George worked on many concepts, such as nuclear-pumped and X-ray lasers with his students and others at the University of Illinois). Even these, however, he characterizes as "near sightings" (of Black Swans) "because of their significant impact on the field" while acknowledging that "few associate the work with me." On the other hand, he states that for both nuclear pumped lasers and advanced fuel fusion (not yet Black Swans) "I am recognized as one of the fathers of the field."

Persons working on fusion will recognize the names of several fusion pioneers with whom George has collaborated, and others will recognize the names of colleagues who were students of George at the University of Illinois and who are currently making important contributions to fusion research. In Chapter 18 on "Teaching, Education and University Administration", George describes the many satisfying experiences he has had with students and even goes so far as to categorize these experiences as Black Swans in their own way. He says, "In many ways, teaching and education are a solid viewing (of a Black Swan). Many students who have worked with me have already started to achieve sightings of their own. I am truly proud of that and happy for them."

As the book makes clear, George never confined his interests to fusion. Though he is known in fusion for his interest in novel and advanced concepts (as described in the book), he also was active in nuclear fission, space propulsion, advanced batteries and lasers, to name but a few areas.

Though now 80 years old, George is still actively searching. He states, "rather than rationalizing past failures to find a Black Swan, I am continuing the search for one." He advises, "Despite your age, focus on the future rather than struggling with the past."

George can be reached at ghmiley@illinois.edu