Lauded theoretical physicist and director of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center Nuno Loureiro has been murdered at the age of 47. Loureiro was known for his award-winning fusion science research, studying the motion of charged particles in the presence of an external magnetic field. His research “helped inform the design of fusion devices that could harness the energy of fusing plasmas, bringing the dream of clean, near-limitless fusion power closer to reality,” according to an MIT obituary. Loureiro was convinced that “we are really progressing towards finally having electricity from fusion,” plasma physicist Bruno Soares Gonçalves told Nature. “His absence will be felt profoundly across [Nuclear Science & Engineering] and far beyond.”More on fusion energy: We’re Only Slightly Exaggerating When We Say This Footage of a Fusion Experiment Will Melt Your Face Off