First Student Ambassadors Announced by LaserNetUS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — LaserNetUS, in partnership with the LaserNetUS Intense-light USers Engagement (I-USE) Committee, is happy to announce it has completed the selection process for its new Student Ambassador Program and is thrilled to introduce two highly-qualified candidates chosen to represent the network as LaserNetUS’s first Student Ambassadors: Elias Catrix and Griffin Glenn.

LaserNetUS's First Student Ambassadors Elias Catrix (left) and Griffin Glenn (right)

Catrix, a PhD student conducting research at the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) laboratory of Canada’s Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), said that he is “working on developing Machine Learning algorithms for the ALLS ion beamline, aiming to optimize the quality and stability of the generated laser-driven ion beam.” When notified about his selection, he expressed his excitement: “...I will do my best to fulfill my mission as a Student Ambassador of LaserNetUS!”

Glenn, a graduate researcher in the High-Energy Density Sciences Division at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and an Applied Physics PhD student at Stanford University, said that his “research focuses on the development of high-repetition-rate sources of laser-driven ions and neutrons using ambient-temperature liquid jet targets.” He responded to his selection by saying, “I’m honored to have the opportunity to represent LaserNetUS, and I’m looking forward to getting some guidance as I prepare for these conferences.”

I-USE Chair Dr. Elizabeth Grace commented on what made each of the two students an outstanding choice to represent LaserNetUS in this FY25 pilot program: “Elias [Catrix] is uniquely positioned by having experience as a user through participation in several successful LaserNet experiments and as a facility scientist by supporting improvements to the ALLS facility through his thesis.”

“Griffin [Glenn] is an excellent candidate, having participated in several beamtimes at both Texas Petawatt and CSU [Colorado State University], including recent beamtime for which he was the PI [Primary Investigator].”

LaserNetUS launched the program on September 27, 2024, and interested students were encouraged to apply via a web-based form by October 11, 2024, to be considered. The selection process involved the following activities:

⚈   Dr. Grace and I-USE Treasurer Dr. Matt Hill of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory reviewed the applications and identified the top applicants to short-list for interviews.

◦   They then conducted interviews to assess the candidates’ communication skills and knowledge about LaserNetUS, their career plans, and their suitability as program representatives.

◦   Once they completed the interviews, they shared the results with LaserNetUS Leadership team members Dr. Chandra Curry, LaserNetUS Coordinator; Dr. Mingsheng Wei, LaserNetUS Chair; and Dr. François Légaré, LaserNetUS Vice-Chair.

⚈   Drs. Curry, Wei, and Légaré reviewed the interview outcomes and selected the two Student Ambassadors for the program's pilot year in FY25.

The Student Ambassadors will present their research at major conferences, including the 2025 LaserNetUS Meeting from July 8–10, 2025, in Phoenix, AZ. Click here for more information about the Student Ambassador Program.

 
About LaserNetUS
Founded in 2018, LaserNetUS is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science initiative providing scientists access to a network of high-power laser facilities across the U.S. The program fosters collaboration and supports cutting-edge research in areas such as plasma physics, materials science, and particle acceleration.

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