Supercomputers and Super Lasers – Livermore’s Big Science

Talk with Dr. Leland Ellison – Lawrence Livermore National Lab

Friday, June 26th 

8-9 p.m.

Livermore is home to several of the world’s largest science facilities. The Sierra Supercomputer, commissioned in late 2018, ranks as the second fastest computer in the world, powered by over 16,000 high performance GPUs. This computer allows scientists to study complex phenomena in a virtual setting.

One important application for this computer is modeling experiments that happen at Livermore’s National Ignition Facility (NIF). The NIF is the world’s most energetic laser, employing 192 laser beams to compress millimeter-scale targets to extremely high densities and temperatures in just a few billionths of a second. Scientists use this device to study nuclear fusion and materials properties at such extreme conditions, which has enabled researchers to ensure the safety of the U.S. nuclear stockpile for a quarter century without nuclear testing.

This talk will give an on-the-ground perspective of these big science efforts, highlighting the exciting applications of these world-class facilities.

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About Dr. Leland Ellison

As a computational physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Dr. Leland Ellison develops physics software for modeling high energy density systems. His particular areas of research interest include plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics, and numerical methods for solving differential equations. Aside from his research efforts, Leland is actively involved in science outreach. He is a regular presenter for LLNL’s Fun with Science program, performing science demonstrations for local elementary and middle schools, and he is the star of LLNL’s “Learning with Leland” Youtube series. Before joining LLNL in 2016, Leland received his PhD in astrophysical sciences at Princeton University. He grew up in Denver, CO, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder with majors in physics and mathematics and a minor in philosophy. When he’s not at the lab or out promoting science, Leland enjoys exploring the outdoors (via skis in the winter and a bike during the summer) and seeking out new restaurants in the bay area.