Omega Laser Facility Users Group 2012 Workshop

The Fourth Omega Laser Facility Users Group Workshop, held 25–27 April 2012, attracted over 100 researchers from 19 universities, 18 centers and laboratories, and 9 foreign countries. The purpose of the workshop is to facilitate a continuing dialog among the individual users and between the users and the LLE management. Twenty Findings and Recommendations—past, present and future—for improving the Omega Facility were widely discussed. Important advances on the implementation of previous Recommendations were detailed, and the Users are most grateful for the responsiveness of the LLE management in implementing our Recommendations. Thanks!

One highlight of the workshop was the 75 contributed posters, of which 50 were given by students and postdocs. Their contributions were invaluable and generated lively and spirited discussions! Importantly, 42 students and postdocs received financial travel assistance through a grant from NNSA, gratefully acknowledged, to attend OLUG 2012. Another workshop highlight was the student–postdoc-led Town meeting. There, many critical issues were aired and discussed, and they often focused on infrastructure and transparency issues that could, without great cost, positively and significantly impact the research of young and older researchers alike. Thank you for these recommendations, which will become part of our the Findings and Recommendations for OLUG 2012.