Four Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers have been awarded Laboratory Fellows’ Prizes: Andrei Simakov received the Fellows’ Prize for Research and Matthew Biss, Sowjanya Gollapinni and Etienne Vermeulen received the Fellows’ Prize for Leadership.
“We are honored to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of this year’s Fellows’ Prize recipients,” said Laboratory Director Thom Mason. “Their achievements not only strengthen Los Alamos National Laboratory’s tradition of excellence, but also ignite new possibilities for discovery, inspire the next generation of researchers, and shape the future of science and technology for the nation and the world.”
Research Prize
Andrei Simakov, of the Primary Physics group at Los Alamos, was awarded the Fellows’ Prize for Research for his work on long-standing theoretical problems for the weapons program. His efforts have made a significant impact on the Lab, within the Department of Energy, and on the international research community.
Leadership Prize
Matthew Biss, of the W88 Systems Engineering group, was awarded the Fellows’ Prize for Leadership in recognition of his exceptional oversight on the risk assessment of Los Alamos’ weapon systems. He successfully led more than 50 subject matter experts across 11 divisions to deliver the Laboratory’s first comprehensive failure analysis of a weapon system. This in-depth assessment provided Lab leadership with the technical foundation to identify essential experiments and address paths forward for current concerns. The resulting assessments are serving as a catalyst for transformative changes across the nuclear security enterprise, ultimately strengthening the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
Sowjanya Gollapinni, of the Applied and Fundamental Physics group, was awarded the Fellows’ Prize for Leadership for her work on neutrino physics and leadership in one of the nation’s highest priority scientific endeavors. She is an internationally renowned particle physicist who plays a pivotal role in several impactful neutrino experiments. She is the lead and co-spokesperson for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a global collaboration with more than 1,400 members across 35 countries, making it the largest collaboration in the history of neutrino physics.
Etienne Vermeulen, of the Inorganic, Isotope, and Actinide Chemistry group, was awarded the Fellows’ Prize for Leadership for his significant impact in increasing the output of Los Alamos’ Isotope Program while also increasing its agility and responsiveness to mission needs. His primary expertise is in physics and engineering of high-current proton beam isotope targetry and production. Vermeulen is a respected thought leader recognized by the international radioisotope production community.
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