Project Team
The scientists, engineers, and students designing and prototyping NSF OPAL.
Project Office
The Project Management Office, based at the University of Rochester, is responsible for oversight of all work elements to ensure that the project meets its performance goals and is delivered on budget and on schedule.
The team is also responsible for monitoring the progression and development of system designs and for reviewing and providing input to proposed technical changes involving system interfaces.
Jon Zuegel
Project Director
Elizabeth Hill
Project Manager
Velynda Bertomen
Deputy Project Manager
Jake Bromage
Lead Laser Scientist
Gilliss Dyer
Science Lead
Matthew Barczys
Lead Systems Engineer
Scott Householder
Chief Safety Officer
Design
The design team is responsible for developing requirements and concepts for short-pulse generation, chirped-pulse amplification, compression, beam focusing, co-timing, and co-pointing. The design effort also includes multiple focusing geometries, on-target pulse width adjustability, and identifying critical technology needs and commercial solutions.
Wendell T. Hill
Subaward Lead
Focal Spot Diagnostic Development
University of Maryland
Douglass Schumacher
Subaward Lead
Liquid-crystal Device Development
Ohio State University
Igor Jovanovic
Subaward Lead
Radiation Shielding Modeling
UC Berkeley
Seung-Whan Bahk
Dispersion Control, Wavefront Control, and Parametric Amplifiers
University of Rochester
Alex Bolognesi
ACoDA Engineer
University of Rochester
Christophe Dorrer
Beamline Amplifiers and Co-Timing
University of Rochester
Nagitha Ekanayake
Beamlines
University of Rochester
Chengyong Feng
Front-End Amplifiers and Pump Lasers
University of Rochester
Elizabeth Hill
Front End Systems
University of Rochester
Preston Hooser
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Mike Hubbard
Information Technology
University of Rochester
David Irwin
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Steve Ivancic
Diagnostic Development
University of Rochester
Cheonha Jeon
Deformable Mirrors and Plasma Mirrors
University of Rochester
Mike Krieger
Experimental Systems
University of Rochester
Brian Kruschwitz
Wavefront Control and Laser System Science
University of Rochester
Joe Kwiatkowski
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Nate Landis
Controls
University of Rochester
Annie Liu
Experimental Area Support
University of Rochester
Dave Nelson
Lead Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Lieselotte Obst-Huebl
Liquid Crystal Devices
BELLA Center, LBNL
Erik Power
ACoDA Modeling and Technologies
University of Rochester
Sid Sampat
AMICA Modeling
University of Rochester
Ben Webb
Compressor Design and Short-Pulse Diagnostics
University of Rochester
Prototyping
The prototyping team addresses the three areas of highest risk that have been identified for the RI-1 project:
- The development of actively cooled disk amplifiers (ACoDA),
- The development of a manufacturing process to produce large aperture gratings, and
- The manufacturing process for growing large boules of highly uniform deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) crystals.
The demonstration of these prototypes and processes will allow a future implementation project to be ready for final design in the first one to two years.
Jake Bromage
Grating Development
University of Rochester
Turan Erdogan
Subaward Lead
Grating Development
Plymouth Grating Laboratories
Pete Charles
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Christophe Dorrer
Large Aperture Crystals
University of Rochester
Kenneth Marshall
Amplifier Design
University of Rochester
Erik Power
Actively Cooled Disk Amplifiers
University of Rochester
Jarrett Shamlian
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Matt Soffa
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Nate Urban
Amplifier Design
University of Rochester
Postdocs
Charlie Arrowsmith
PAALS
University of Rochester
Giulio Audagnotto
HFP/QED
University of Turin
David Bishel
LAPP
University of Rochester
Gerrit Bruhaug
LAPP
University of Rochester
Alex Chin
LAPP
University of Rochester
Neel Kabadi
LAPP
University of Rochester
Jihoon Kim
LAPP
Cornell University
Misha Lopez-Lopez
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Stefano Racioppi
LAPP
University at Buffalo
Arnold Schwemmlein
LAPP
University of Rochester
Students
Harry Akins
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Manfred Ambat
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Joshua Arasheben
Undergraduate Student
Project Team
El Camino College
Utkarsh Bajpai
Graduate Student
LDNP
University of Notre Dame Nuclear Science Laboratory
Andrew Bo
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Connor Boehly
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
University of Rochester
Ashley Brodeur
Graduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
Rochester Institute of Technology
Sean Della Torre
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
Cornell University
Thomas De Vos
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Emily Dill
Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Sophia Dmytruk
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
University of Rochester
Elias Dubroff
Undergraduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Amanda Elliott
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Adrian Hosak
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Andrew Hotchkiss
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Isaac Kelly
Graduate Student
LDNP
University of Notre Dame Nuclear Science Laboratory
Abram Konzel
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Isabelle LaBelle
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Chunsun Lei
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Xuanqi Li
Graduate Student
Radiation Shielding Modeling
University of California, Berkeley
Lavonne Mack
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Matthew Mamman
High School Student
Amplifier Modeling
URochester/LLE 2026 Summer High School Program
Nyaradzo Valery Mararanje
Undergraduate Student
Project Team
University of Rochester
Hunter Markland
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Andrew Martin
Undegraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Olivia Ocker
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Sam Plymale
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Reshad Rahman
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Isabelle Settle
Undergraduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Dante Vara
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Anthony Vazquez
Graduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
BELLA Center, LBNL
Rhett Wampler
Graduate Student
Large Aperture Crystals
University of Rochester
Sarine Yeghiayan
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of California, Irvine
Team Members
Project Office
The Project Management Office, based at the University of Rochester, is responsible for oversight of all work elements to ensure that the project meets its performance goals and is delivered on budget and on schedule.
The team is also responsible for monitoring the progression and development of system designs and for reviewing and providing input to proposed technical changes involving system interfaces.
Jon Zuegel
Project Director
Elizabeth Hill
Project Manager
Velynda Bertomen
Deputy Project Manager
Jake Bromage
Lead Laser Scientist
Gilliss Dyer
Science Lead
Matthew Barczys
Lead Systems Engineer
Scott Householder
Chief Safety Officer
Design
The design team is responsible for developing requirements and concepts for short-pulse generation, chirped-pulse amplification, compression, beam focusing, co-timing, and co-pointing. The design effort also includes multiple focusing geometries, on-target pulse width adjustability, and identifying critical technology needs and commercial solutions.
Wendell T. Hill
Subaward Lead
Focal Spot Diagnostic Development
University of Maryland
Douglass Schumacher
Subaward Lead
Liquid-crystal Device Development
Ohio State University
Igor Jovanovic
Subaward Lead
Radiation Shielding Modeling
UC Berkeley
Seung-Whan Bahk
Dispersion Control, Wavefront Control, and Parametric Amplifiers
University of Rochester
Alex Bolognesi
ACoDA Engineer
University of Rochester
Christophe Dorrer
Beamline Amplifiers and Co-Timing
University of Rochester
Nagitha Ekanayake
Beamlines
University of Rochester
Chengyong Feng
Front-End Amplifiers and Pump Lasers
University of Rochester
Elizabeth Hill
Front End Systems
University of Rochester
Preston Hooser
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Mike Hubbard
Information Technology
University of Rochester
David Irwin
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Steve Ivancic
Diagnostic Development
University of Rochester
Cheonha Jeon
Deformable Mirrors and Plasma Mirrors
University of Rochester
Mike Krieger
Experimental Systems
University of Rochester
Brian Kruschwitz
Wavefront Control and Laser System Science
University of Rochester
Joe Kwiatkowski
Compression and Beam Transport
University of Rochester
Nate Landis
Controls
University of Rochester
Annie Liu
Experimental Area Support
University of Rochester
Dave Nelson
Lead Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Lieselotte Obst-Huebl
Liquid Crystal Devices
BELLA Center, LBNL
Erik Power
ACoDA Modeling and Technologies
University of Rochester
Sid Sampat
AMICA Modeling
University of Rochester
Ben Webb
Compressor Design and Short-Pulse Diagnostics
University of Rochester
Prototyping
The prototyping team addresses the three areas of highest risk that have been identified for the RI-1 project:
- The development of actively cooled disk amplifiers (ACoDA),
- The development of a manufacturing process to produce large aperture gratings, and
- The manufacturing process for growing large boules of highly uniform deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) crystals.
The demonstration of these prototypes and processes will allow a future implementation project to be ready for final design in the first one to two years.
Jake Bromage
Grating Development
University of Rochester
Turan Erdogan
Subaward Lead
Grating Development
Plymouth Grating Laboratories
Pete Charles
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Christophe Dorrer
Large Aperture Crystals
University of Rochester
Kenneth Marshall
Amplifier Design
University of Rochester
Erik Power
Actively Cooled Disk Amplifiers
University of Rochester
Jarrett Shamlian
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Matt Soffa
Amplifier Design Mechanical Engineer
University of Rochester
Nate Urban
Amplifier Design
University of Rochester
Postdocs
Charlie Arrowsmith
PAALS
University of Rochester
Giulio Audagnotto
HFP/QED
University of Turin
David Bishel
LAPP
University of Rochester
Gerrit Bruhaug
LAPP
University of Rochester
Alex Chin
LAPP
University of Rochester
Neel Kabadi
LAPP
University of Rochester
Jihoon Kim
LAPP
Cornell University
Misha Lopez-Lopez
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Stefano Racioppi
LAPP
University at Buffalo
Arnold Schwemmlein
LAPP
University of Rochester
Students
Harry Akins
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Manfred Ambat
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Joshua Arasheben
Undergraduate Student
Project Team
El Camino College
Utkarsh Bajpai
Graduate Student
LDNP
University of Notre Dame Nuclear Science Laboratory
Andrew Bo
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Connor Boehly
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
University of Rochester
Ashley Brodeur
Graduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
Rochester Institute of Technology
Sean Della Torre
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
Cornell University
Thomas De Vos
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Emily Dill
Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Sophia Dmytruk
Undergraduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
University of Rochester
Elias Dubroff
Undergraduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Amanda Elliott
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Adrian Hosak
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Andrew Hotchkiss
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Isaac Kelly
Graduate Student
LDNP
University of Notre Dame Nuclear Science Laboratory
Abram Konzel
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Isabelle LaBelle
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Chunsun Lei
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Xuanqi Li
Graduate Student
Radiation Shielding Modeling
University of California, Berkeley
Lavonne Mack
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Matthew Mamman
High School Student
Amplifier Modeling
URochester/LLE 2026 Summer High School Program
Nyaradzo Valery Mararanje
Undergraduate Student
Project Team
University of Rochester
Hunter Markland
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Andrew Martin
Undegraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Olivia Ocker
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Sam Plymale
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Reshad Rahman
Graduate Student
HFP/QED
University of Rochester
Isabelle Settle
Undergraduate Student
PAALS
University of Rochester
Dante Vara
Undergraduate Student
LDNP
Houghton University
Anthony Vazquez
Graduate Student
Liquid Crystal Devices
BELLA Center, LBNL
Rhett Wampler
Graduate Student
Large Aperture Crystals
University of Rochester
Sarine Yeghiayan
Graduate Student
PAALS
University of California, Irvine