Proposal Review Panel Leadership Transition: Dr. Arianna Gleason Concludes Term as Chair

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The LaserNetUS network proudly announces the conclusion of Dr. Arianna Gleason’s term as Chair of the Proposal Review Panel (PRP), effective in Summer 2024. Prof. Matthew Edwards, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, will take over as the PRP Chair beginning January 2024, marking the start of the Cycle 7 proposal review process. Each PRP Chair typically serves a two-year term and is then succeeded by an incoming PRP Chair selected from the current PRP membership. This PRP Chair rotation allows LaserNetUS to promote diversity in leadership and enable esteemed scientists to contribute their guidance and expertise to LaserNetUS' growth and success.

Dr. Gleason’s tenure as PRP Chair from 2021-2024 has been marked by significant achievements and transformative initiatives. Under her leadership from Cycle 4 to Cycle 6, she championed efforts to expand LaserNetUS' reach beyond the academic and national laboratory community, fostering connections with industrial users and promoting use-inspired solutions and applications across various scientific disciplines. A highlight of her leadership was the collaborative development of a comprehensive proposal template with LaserNetUS Coordinator Dr. Chandra Breanne Curry, which enhanced the proposal submission process and ensured valuable feedback for researchers.

Reflecting on her time as PRP Chair, Dr. Gleason stated, "It has been my deep honor to serve as the LaserNetUS PRP Chair. I am proud of our collective efforts to enhance diversity within our user community and to support early-career experimentalists. I am delighted to hand off the role to Prof. Matthew Edwards, whose strong program in plasma physics and energy science that leverages ultrafast and powerful lasers will undoubtedly further the mission of LaserNetUS."

Prof. Matthew Edwards brings more than 15 years of experience in high-power laser science to his new role. Before joining Stanford, he served as a Lawrence Fellow at the National Ignition Facility, focusing on plasma optics and laser-matter interactions. His extensive background equips him well to lead the PRP in its mission of evaluating and advancing high-intensity laser research.

“Building on the strong foundation laid by Arianna and her predecessors, I aim to ensure that our proposal review process continues to draw from a broad spectrum of expertise," said Prof. Edwards. "I am committed to supporting impactful scientific research and fostering the next generation of scientists in our community."

Prof. Douglass Schumacher, former Chair of LaserNetUS from 2022-2024, praised Dr. Gleason’s leadership: “Dr. Arianna Gleason’s tenure as PRP Chair came at an important time for LaserNetUS. She, alongside Dr. Chandra Breanne Curry, developed a proposal template that provided direct guidance for proposal writing and established a careful rubric for reviewers, enhancing the consistency of our evaluations. Working with Arianna has been a pleasure; her responsiveness and commitment to our community have been invaluable.”

The transition from Dr. Gleason to Prof. Edwards is expected to maintain continuity in leadership while also introducing fresh perspectives and initiatives for the upcoming cycle. Users can anticipate continued emphasis on enhancing the proposal evaluation process and providing constructive feedback to all applicants.

About LaserNetUS

Established in August 2018 by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, LaserNetUS unites the high-intensity laser community in the U.S. and internationally. The network supports groundbreaking scientific research, enables plasma technologies, and advances early-career researchers by providing access to unique, high-intensity laser facilities across North America.

Media Contact:
Dr. Chandra Breanne Curry
LaserNetUS Coordinator
Email: ccurry@slac.stanford.edu