Extreme Matters, Pressure to Explore New Worlds, Exotic Solids, and Fusion Burning Plasma

Dr. Gilbert "Rip" Collins, Associate Director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics and the Tracy Hyde Harris Professor of Physics and Mechanical Engineering

Presented in-person in Goergen 101 and on Zoom

Zoom Information

Zoom:https://rochester.zoom.us/j/91669460596?pwd=T1VzbEFreVd3NFR5QnlUV09YWlZWZz09
Meeting ID: 916 6946 0596
Passcode: 0330

Abstract

A science revolution is underway with the discovery of thousands of planets outside of our solar system, the creation of revolutionary materials, and the potential for harnessing fusion energy. Unlocking these discoveries hinges on our ability to understand and manipulate matter to and beyond atomic pressures, conditions that alter the nature of atoms themselves. At such conditions our intuition for matter begins to breakdown, with hydrogen becoming metallic, water becoming superionic, and core electrons engaging to form chemical bonds at KeV energy scales. I will show how high energy lasers are enabling a new exploration into (1) the nature and implications of many recently discovered extrasolar planets-potential platforms for life throughout the universe, (2) a new generation of quantum materials, and (3) controlled thermonuclear fusion. You might take a look at one of our videos as a primer to our discussion.

Biography

Gilbert ‘Rip’ Collins is Tracy Hyde Harris Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Physics and Astronomy, as well as Associate Director for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Ohio State University. From 1989 to 2016 he held several positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory including Group Leader, Physics Associate Division Leader, Director for the Center for High Energy Density Physics, and Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff.

Rip works with an amazing team exploring the nature and implications of matter at conditions where external forces overwhelm the quantum forces of the atom and the microphysics of thermonuclear fusion. He is the Director of the NSF Physics Frontier Center for Matter at Atomic Pressures. He holds visiting Professorships at Oxford University and The University of Edinburgh. He is a recipient of the Bridgman Award, APS Fellow, APS Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics, DOE Weapons Recognition of Excellence Award, NNSA Award for Excellence for Stockpile Stewardship Program, and NNSA Science and Technology Award. He was Chair of the High-Pressure Gordon Conference, Chair of the APS Shock Compression of Condensed Matter meeting, and Chair of the AIRAPT meeting, has >300 publications and an h-index of 75.