2024 LaserNetUS Meeting

Updated February 4, 2025. See below for the post-meeting summary.

The 2024 LaserNetUS Annual Meeting was held in Austin, Texas, from July 16-18. This gathering showcased the extensive research conducted by LaserNetUS users and served as a vital workforce development tool. Featuring a theme on Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE), the meeting sparked significant interest and facilitated dialogue on LaserNetUS's role in advancing IFE technology.

The event brought together 166 participants and featured various activities, including plenary, invited, and contributed talks; a dynamic poster session; and an awards ceremony. Key contributors included the LaserNetUS Intense-light USers Engagement Committee (I-USE), the Data & Diagnostics Committee (DDC), and the Simulation Committee (SimNet), whose active participation ensured the meeting’s success.

Highlights included insightful plenary sessions from leaders in the field, an engaging poster session with 62 presentations, and robust discussions on various research topics. The event emphasized the development of early career scientists and the importance of LaserNetUS facilities in leading innovative research and technology applications.

Toward that end, Dr. Franziska Treffert’s invited talk was particularly memorable. In her presentation, she shared her story about being a member of LaserNetUS and having conducted all experiments for her PhD thesis at LaserNetUS facilities. She noted the essential lessons she learned and how her experiences made her a better scientist. Dr. Treffert acknowledged how her work with LaserNetUS and the network’s support gave her the skills to lead experiments successfully.

You can read more about Dr. Treffert and her journey here and access the re-recording of her featured talk from the meeting, “Tackling the PhD: How LaserNetUS Helped Me Become the Scientist I am Today,” on LaserNetUS's YouTube channel. (While you’re there, we’d love you to subscribe!)

The 2024 meeting concluded with discussions on the future direction of LaserNetUS and its growing community. To learn what’s in store for 2025, register for the 2025 LaserNetUS Meeting in Phoenix, AZ—we hope you can join us!