Physics in Intense Fields 2026 (PIF26)

Physics in intense, or strong, background fields has a rich history, captivating researchers since the early days of QFT. Modern advances in high-intensity lasers have prompted a renewed interest in the area of strong-field QED (SFQED), where non-perturbative methods have been necessitated by increased laser field strength. “Physics in Intense Fields” aims to explore SFQED, high-intensity laser physics, and related themes, by bringing together researchers from theory, experiment, and simulation.

PIF26 is hosted by the University of Rochester, and is preceded by earlier Physics in Intense Fields conferences:

• PIF24 (virtual), hosted by University of Plymouth and University of Edinburgh,
• PIF22 (virtual) hosted by the University of Plymouth,
• PIF2013 in DESY, Germany in 2013,
• PIF2010 in KEK, Japan in 2010.

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

• Paul Campbell, University of Michigan, USA

• Sebastien Corde, École Polytechnique, France

• Martin Formanek, ELI-Beamlines, Czech Republic
• Marta Galbiati, LULI, France
• Elias Gerstmayr, Queen’s University Belfast, UK

• Mickael Grech, LULI, France

• Elizabeth Hill, LLE, USA
• Vojtěch Horný, ELI-NP, Romania
• Felix Karbstein, Helmholtz Institute Jena, Germany

• Kyung Taec Kim, CoReLS, South Korea

• Sonja Klisch, Perimeter Institute, Canada

• Eva Los, University of Oxford, UK

• Sebastian Meuren, École Polytechnique, France
• Brandon Russell, Princeton University, USA
• Yuan Shi, Colorado University, USA
• Matteo Tamburini, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Germany

• Hidetoshi Taya, Keio University, Japan

• Henri Vincenti, CEA, France

• Lily Zhang, Oxford University, UK

Organizers:

Local Organizing Committee

• Antonino Di Piazza, University of Rochester, USA
• Jonathan Zuegel, University of Rochester, USA
• Velynda Bertomen, University of Rochester, USA
• Ashley Thrash, University of Rochester, USA

International Advisory Committee

• Domenico Doria, ELI-NP, Romania

• Gerald Dunne, University of Connecticut, USA

• Thomas Heinzl, University of Plymouth, UK

• Christoph Keitel, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Germany

• Carsten Müller, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany

• David Reis, SLAC, USA

• Caterina Riconda, Sorbonne University, France

• Gianluca Sarri, Queen’s University Belfast, UK

• Luis Silva, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

• Alexander Thomas, University of Michigan, USA

• Stefan Weber, ELI-Beamlines, Czech Republic

Steering Committee

• Stepan Bulanov, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
• James P. Edwards, University of Plymouth, UK
• Anton Ilderton, University of Edinburgh, UK
• Masaki Kando, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan
• Ben King, University of Plymouth, UK
• Katarzyna Krajewska, University of Warsaw, Poland

Advances in high-intensity laser technology continue to motivate research in strong-field QED (SFQED), in which the presence of intense electromagnetic fields induces nonlinear and non-perturbative physical effects.

In turn, interest in observing these novel phenomena continues to generate proposals for experiments to be performed at current, and future, laser facilities.

An essential link between theory and experiment is provided by numerical methods, which translate theoretical results into widely applicable models amenable to PIC and Monte-Carlo simulation schemes.

The focus of PIF 2026 will be on these three areas of SFQED — theory, simulation and experiment. The conference will begin with a tutorial talk on each of these topics. Each conference session (outlined below) will begin with an overview talk.

Theory

Laser-particle interactions
Non-perturbative phenomena
Higher loop and higher multiplicity results

Simulation

PIC and Monte-Carlo schemes
Bench-marking simulations
Toward higher fidelity

Experiment

New experimental results
Facilities overviews
Future experiment proposals

1. Joao Maria Afonso Custodio, The Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC
2. Ivan Ahumada, University of Plymouth
3. Manfred Virgil Ambat, University of Rochester
4. Charlie Arrowsmith, University of Rochester – Laboratory for Laser Energetics
5. Elizabeth Breen-Lee, Old Dominion University
6. Gracie Budd, SUNY Geneseo
7. Edward Cain, Rochester Institute of Technology
8. Paul Campbell, University of Michigan
9. Sebastien Corde, École Polytechnique
10. Thomas De Vos, University of Rochester
11. Amanda Elliott, University of Rochester
12. Martin Formanek, The Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC, ELI Beamlines Facility
13. Louis Forrester, Imperial College London
14. Charlie Freeman, SUNY Geneseo
15. Marta Galbiati, École Polytechnique
16. Cosmo Gallaro, Princeton University
17. Zhigong Gao, University of Rochester
18. Elias Gerstmayr, Queen’s University Belfast
19. Mickael Grech, École Polytechnique
20. Sarah Jane Grimm, TU Darmstadt
21. Elizabeth Hill, University of Rochester – Laboratory for Laser Energetics
22. Wendell T Hill, III, University of Maryland
23. Adrian Hosak, University of Rochester
24. Felix Karbstein, Helmholtz Institute Jena
25. Kyungtaec Kim, Institute for Basic Science
26. Seolhwa Kim, University of California, Los Angeles
27. Sonja Klisch, Perimeter Insitute for Theoretical Physics
28. Abram Konzel, University of Rochester
29. Isabelle LaBelle, University of Rochester
30. Misha Lopez, University of Rochester
31. Eva Los, University of Oxford
32. Joshua Luoma, Cornell University
33. Lavonne Mack, University of Rochester
34. Rohan Mahnot, University of Maryland
35. Kyle McMillen, University of Rochester
36. Shawn McPoyle, University of Rochester – Laboratory for Laser Energetics
37. Olivia Ocker, Houghton University
38. Stephen Padalino, SUNY Geneseo
39. Maria Paris, University of Rochester
40. Samuel Plymale, Houghton University
41. Geoffrey Pomraning, Princeton University
42. Reshad Rahman, University of Rochester
43. Anthony Raymond, Laboratory for Laser Energetics
44. Caleb Redshaw, Stanford University
45. Brandon Russell, Princeton University
46. Lauren Russell, SUNY Geneseo
47. Deepak Sah, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology
48. Carlos Javier Servin Tomas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo
49. Jessica Shaw, University of Rochester
50. Yuan Shi, University of Colorado Boulder
51. Alexandra Staiger Hau, SUNY Geneseo
52. Mitsuki Tabei, SUNY Geneseo
53. Matteo Tamburini, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
54. Hidetoshi Taya, Keio University
55. Dante Vara, Houghton University
56. Henri Vincenti, CEA
57. Mark Yuly, Houghton University
58. Zixin Zhang, University of Oxford

Monday, July 20, 2026

TBD

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

TBD

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

TBD

Thursday, July 23, 2026

TBD

Friday, July 24, 2026

TBD

Register here!

You will find details regarding accommodations at the registration link.

To attend the tour and dinner at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, please fill out the linked visitor form within 45 days of the visit: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/aa4eb792fcd642cbb9531f30180448bb.

On the registration form, please use the information below:
Host name: Velynda Bertomen
Host email address: vber@lle.rochester.edu
Purpose of the visit: LLE tour as part of PIF26 Conference