Скачать или смотреть Celebrating 75 Years of Powering Possibilities

The roots of the U.S. fusion program began at PPPL, establishing many of the scientific and engineering foundations of plasma physics and fusion energy. Today, PPPL continues to lead in plasma physics, advancing cutting-edge research in an expanding range of fields that are shaping the future of energy, artificial intelligence, technology, and discovery.

Join Laura Berzak Hopkins, associate laboratory director for strategy and partnerships and deputy chief research officer, for Science On Saturday to celebrate the Lab's 75th anniversary with a look at our storied past and exciting future.

The Ronald E. Hatcher Science on Saturday lecture series is given by scientists, engineers, and other professionals involved in cutting-edge research. Lectures are held at PPPL, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory managed by Princeton University, and online.

About the Speaker

Dr. Laura Berzak Hopkins is a plasma physicist and the Associate Laboratory Director for Strategy and Partnerships and Deputy Chief Research Officer for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a US Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory. At PPPL, Laura focuses on long-range strategic planning for future laboratory capabilities, striving to leverage institutional legacy while responding to the broadening mission space of plasma science.

Prior to joining PPPL in 2024, Laura was an Associate Program Director at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a US DOE National Nuclear Security Administration national laboratory. While at Livermore, she led multi-disciplinary research teams pursuing efforts to build integrated modeling, simulation, and experimental platforms. Laura was also a design physicist within the inertial confinement fusion program and in this role developed laser-target concepts that became the foundation for the ignition design at the National Ignition Facility. She has served as a scientific advisor in the US Congress and has pursued policy research efforts focused on arms control and non-proliferation issues. Laura is a fellow of the American Physical Society, holds a doctorate degree in Plasma Physics from Princeton University, and undergraduate degrees in Physics and Chemistry from Dartmouth College. She has an enduring passion for communicating science to diverse audiences and is a proud NJ-native.