OLUG 2025 Recap: A Cornerstone of the High-Energy-Density Science Community
This past month, LLE hosted the sixteenth annual Omega Laser Facility Users Group (OLUG) Workshop, and the multiday event was a resounding success. Over 140 participants from 38 institutions around the world attended sessions on a wide range of topics including federal funding agency talks, Omega Laser Facility talks, expert science talks, PhD presentations, FLUX and NSF OPAL updates, findings and recommendations sessions, and much more. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to showcase their latest research in two poster sessions, collaborate and engage with peers, students, and early-career researchers, and build lasting professional networks.
The OLUG workshop is more than just an annual meeting—it is a cornerstone of the high-energy-density science community and a dynamic hub for innovation and community building, where researchers of all levels and experiences can connect, learn, and grow. “The key to success,” says Landon Tafoya of the University of Michigan, “is collaborating with people here at LLE and other people in the user community. No one person can be an expert in everything.”
The workshop culminated in the recognition of outstanding contributions with OLUG’s Best Poster Awards. Congratulations to all our winners:
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- Graduate students Matthew Cufari (MIT), Huws Landberger (Princeton University), and Jaya Sicard (LLNL; soon to be joining the University of California, Berkeley)
- Undergraduate student Selma Zuhric (University of Michigan)
- Postdoctoral researcher: Edoardo Rovere (University of California, San Diego)
Finally, our thanks to the OLUG organizers and sponsors. The workshop was made possible through the generous support of the NNSA and Prism Computational Sciences, Inc.
Check out our video recap on LLE’s YouTube page.