{ "143085-21892041": { "datetime_modified":"20251223T102619", "datetime_start":"20260204T151000", "datetime_end":"20260204T161000", "has_end_time":1, "date_start":"2026-02-04", "date_end":"2026-02-04", "time_start":"15:10:00", "time_end":"16:10:00", "time_zone":"America\/Detroit", "event_title":"MIPSE Seminar | Plasma and Gas Optics for Ultra-Intense Lasers", "occurrence_title":"", "combined_title":"MIPSE Seminar | Plasma and Gas Optics for Ultra-Intense Lasers: Prof. Matthew Edwards, Stanford University", "event_subtitle":"Prof. Matthew Edwards, Stanford University", "event_type":"Lecture \/ Discussion", "event_type_id":"13", "description":"MIPSE Early Career Award 2025-2026\r\n\r\nAbstract: \r\nOur ability to build lasers of higher peak power into higher-intensity regimes of laser science is fundamentally limited by the optical damage thresholds of the dielectric coatings, glass, and metal that make up modern optics. Although we would like to have lasers capable of probing Schwinger-limit fields or accelerating large plasma volumes to relativistic speeds, current laser technology cannot be scaled much beyond the ten-petawatt level without prohibitive cost. Plasma physics offers a solution: plasma can tolerate light intensities far beyond the damage thresholds of solid-state optics. In principle, the use of plasmas as optics allows the construction of compact ultra-high-power lasers, but a range of plasma physics and engineering problems must first be solved. We will discuss how gases and plasmas can be shaped into precision optics suitable for our most powerful and energetic lasers, providing ultra-high damage thresholds and resistance to the neutron and debris fluxes that would be present in an inertial fusion plant. We will show experimental, computational, and analytic results on the performance of gas and plasma diffraction gratings and lenses, including demonstrations of efficiency and stability comparable to standard solid-state optics. We will then discuss designs for plasma-based laser systems and how plasma optics could enable compact lasers with multi-petawatt to exawatt peak powers.\r\n\r\nAbout the Speaker: \r\nMatthew Edwards is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. He received BSE, MA, and PhD degrees from Princeton University in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. From 2019 to 2022 he was a Lawrence Fellow in the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His research applies high-power lasers to the development of optical diagnostics for fluids and plasmas, the study of intense light-matter interactions, and the construction of compact light and particle sources, combining adaptive high-repetition-rate experiments and large-scale simulations to explore new regimes in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, materials science, and plasma physics.\r\n\r\nThis seminar is free and open to the public. It will be conducted in person and on Zoom, please check MIPSE website for details: https:\/\/mipse.umich.edu\/seminars_2526.php", "occurrence_notes":null, "guid":"143085-21892041@events.umich.edu", "permalink":"http:\/\/events.umich.edu\/event\/143085", "building_id":"1000448", "building_name":"Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building", "campus_maps_id":"56", "room":"1003", "location_name":"Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building", "has_livestream":0, "cost":"", "tags":["Engineering","Laser","Lasers","Michigan Engineering","Physics","Plasma","seminar","Talk"], "website":"https:\/\/mipse.umich.edu\/seminars_2526.php", "sponsors":[ { "group_name":"Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering (MIPSE)", "group_id":"4073", "website":"" } ], "image_url":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "styled_images":{ "event_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_large_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large_2x\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "group_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/group_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "group_thumb_square":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/group_thumb_square\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "group_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/group_large\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "group_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/group_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_large_crop":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large_crop\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_list":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_list\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_list_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_list_2x\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_grid":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_grid\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_grid_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_grid_2x\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_feature_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_feature_large\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg", "event_feature_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_feature_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2025\/12\/event_143085_original-1.jpg" }, "occurrence_count":1, "first_occurrence":21892041 } , "142353-21890736": { "datetime_modified":"20260129T110258", "datetime_start":"20260204T153000", "datetime_end":"20260204T170000", "has_end_time":1, "date_start":"2026-02-04", "date_end":"2026-02-04", "time_start":"15:30:00", "time_end":"17:00:00", "time_zone":"America\/Detroit", "event_title":"Algebraic Geometry Seminar: Higher rational singularities in characteristic zero and higher F-rational singularities in positive characteristic", "occurrence_title":"", "combined_title":"Algebraic Geometry Seminar: Higher rational singularities in characteristic zero and higher F-rational singularities in positive characteristic: Jakub Witaszek (Northwestern)", "event_subtitle":"Jakub Witaszek (Northwestern)", "event_type":"Workshop \/ Seminar", "event_type_id":"21", "description":"I will begin by reviewing the theory of higher rational singularities in characteristic zero, then move on to higher F-rational singularities in positive characteristic. Finally, I will explain the proof of the inversion of adjunction for higher rational singularities. My talk will be based on joint work with Tatsuro Kawakami.", "occurrence_notes":null, "guid":"142353-21890736@events.umich.edu", "permalink":"http:\/\/events.umich.edu\/event\/142353", "building_id":"1000166", "building_name":"East Hall", "campus_maps_id":"53", "room":"4096", "location_name":"East Hall", "has_livestream":0, "cost":"", "tags":["Mathematics"], "website":"", "sponsors":[ { "group_name":"Algebraic Geometry Seminar - Department of Mathematics", "group_id":"4880", "website":"" }, { "group_name":"Department of Mathematics", "group_id":"3791", "website":"" } ], "image_url":"", "styled_images":{ "event_thumb":"", "event_large":"", "event_large_2x":"", "event_large_lightbox":"", "group_thumb":"", "group_thumb_square":"", "group_large":"", "group_large_lightbox":"", "event_large_crop":"", "event_list":"", "event_list_2x":"", "event_grid":"", "event_grid_2x":"", "event_feature_large":"", "event_feature_thumb":"" }, "occurrence_count":1, "first_occurrence":21890736 } }