The Aug. 7 NIF&PS Poster Symposium winners with their awards are (from left): Alexis Diaz, Skylar Dannhoff, Bryant Riddick, Lan Huse, Brianna Barbee, Megan Parkhurst, Yevgeniy Yakusevich, Jett Aquino, and Izzy Rodger. Credit: Jason Laurea
(Download Image)Ignition Continues to Spark Interest in NIF&PS Intern Program
The NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program enjoyed another record year in 2024—and, once again, the fusion ignition milestone at LLNL in 2022 was cited as a key reason for the continuing surge of interest.
In all, there were 900 applicants, more than double the estimated 410 students who applied last year, and more than triple the number of applicants two years ago, according to Patrick Poole, NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program director.
“I think it’s more people hearing about our fusion ignition milestone—the initial success—and then the subsequent repeats,” Poole said. “Just reading through the students’ personal statements, it’s just a ton of people saying, ‘I want to do the good work that goes out at the Lab,’ ‘I’m interested in fusion energy,’ and ‘I want to be a part of where ignition happened.’”
On Dec. 5, 2022, LLNL achieved the major scientific breakthrough of fusion ignition for the first time in a laboratory setting at NIF, producing more energy from a fusion reaction than the laser energy used to drive it. Since then, the Lab has reached fusion ignition four more times, most recently on Feb. 12.
Last year, the NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program held one poster symposium in August with about 70 entries (see “NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program Celebrates a Record Year”). This year, there were two poster symposiums, the first on Aug. 7 involving 41 undergraduates and graduate students. The second on Sept. 4 included 16 intern posters.
The Sept. 4 NIF&PS Poster Symposium winners (from left): Ramon Padilla, Colby Winters, Natalie Elenteny, Izzy Rodger, Jennie Ren, and Jhonnatan Gama Vazquez. Credit: Mark Meamber
Splitting the poster symposium into two smaller events allowed the students to spend more time with the judges and receive valuable feedback, according to LLNL’s Alex Do, who was in charge of the symposiums.
“We want to send the students back to their schools better than when they arrived at the Lab,” Do said. “Being able to get this feedback helps to improve their careers for the future.”
The winners of the Aug. 7 poster symposium were:
Judge’s Choice
Undergrad: Alexis Diaz, “Modelling non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions induced by strong compression of plasmas on NIF.”
Graduate: Skylar Dannhoff, “2D and 3D HYDRA simulations of plasma flow and interface dynamics in foam-lined targets.”
People’s Choice
Undergrad:
- First place: Lan Huse, “Implementation of Rose Relays in Flashlamp Testing Facility Capacitor Dump System.”
- Second place: Bryant Riddick, “Reducing Deflection Using FEA Analysis for Meniscus Coater.”
- Third place: Izzy Rodger, “High-repetition-rate multi-modal proton beam diagnosis from intense laser-solid interactions.”
Graduate:
- First place: Brianna Barbee, “Reducing Deflection using FEA Analysis for Meniscus Coater.”
- Second place: Megan Parkhurst, “Laser Diagnostics: Recertifying the NIF Colorimeter Calibration Lab.”
- Third place: Jett Aquino, “Electromagnetic Simulation and Analysis of Xenon Flashlamps,” and Yevgeniy Yakusevich, “More Shots per Shot: Beam-Splitting Optics for the NIF Crystal Backlighter Imager.”
The winners of the Sept. 4 poster symposium were:
Judge’s Choice
Undergrad: Izzy Rodger, “Development of an Absolute Calibration and Robust Real-Time Analysis Method Utilizing the PROBIES Diagnostic.”
Graduate: Jhonnatan Gama Vazquez, “Field-particle correlation analysis in PIC simulations of laser-matter interactions.”
People’s Choice
Undergraduate:
- First place: Natalie Elenteny, “Carbon Fiber Direct Drive Port.”
- Second place: Jennie Ren, “Screening Laser Polyurethane Fillers to Mitigate Alumina Generation in NIF Flashlamp Line-Replaceable Units.”
Graduate:
- First place: Ramon Padilla, “Characterization of the Lifetime and Aging of Coaxial Cables within a Pulsed Power Environment.”
- Second place: Colby Winters, “NIF Sustainment: Flashlamp Qualification Cleanroom.”
Poole noted that the growing success of the poster symposium has been noticed by other directorates at the Lab—and they’ve started to hold similar poster events.
“Everyone liked what we did,” Poole said. “I think it’s another big success that’s been a ton of effort.”
Members of the NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program for 2024 were: Zhi Liao, Patrick Poole, Danyelle Asbe, Alex Do, Sandrine Herriot, Samuel McLaren, Payal Singh, Sara Novell, Debbie Bradford, Pamela Newcomb, and Nicolle Dunn.
Additional staff for the poster symposium were: Lee Perry, Stephanie Lahman, and James Wickboldt.
—Jon Kawamoto
More Information:
Summer Scholar Internship Program
“NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program Celebrates a Record Year,” NIF & Photon Science News, August 23, 2023
“Intern Follows His Lifelong Passion for Science to LLNL,” NIF & Photon Science News, August 23, 2023
“NIF&PS Summer Scholar Wants to Be an Inspiration to Other Students,” NIF & Photon Science News, August 23, 2023
“A Passion for Physics Drives NIF Summer Intern Danny Attiyah,” NIF & Photon Science News, August 9, 2023
“Summer Intern Learns at Intersection of Chemistry and Optical Fiber,” NIF & Photon Science News, July 26, 2023
“LLNL Advances Make NIF Summer Scholar Program a Coveted Internship,” NIF & Photon Science News, Feb. 2, 2023
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