Meet LLNL: Laser Material Interaction Deputy Group Leader Sonny Ly

Sonny Ly has built a career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) combining laser physics, materials science and mentorship.

A deputy group leader in the Laser Material Interaction Science Group within the Materials Science Division under Physical and Life Sciences, Ly first came to the Lab in 2010 as a graduate student from the University of California, Davis. His research in laser spectroscopy helped lead him to LLNL, where he later joined as a postdoctoral researcher and converted to staff. Today, his work focuses on laser ablation, laser material processing and directed energy applications.

For Ly, one of the most rewarding parts of working at the Lab is the chance to collaborate with leading experts on innovative projects.

“It’s just the opportunity to work with really brilliant and talented people,” he said. “You’re just surrounded by individuals who are experts in the field, and then that makes the work both challenging and rewarding.”

He also values contributing to projects that push the boundaries of science.

“Some of these projects we’ve worked on, it’s completely novel,” Ly said. “And we've actually ended up inventing many techniques and instruments right here in the lab.”

Beyond the science, Ly appreciates LLNL’s flexibility and campus-like atmosphere. He also sees mentorship as one of the most important parts of his role. Having benefited from strong mentors early in his own career, he now works to create the same kind of supportive environment for students and early-career researchers.

Ly said he encourages students and early-career researchers to learn by observing his work, asking questions and gaining hands-on experience, adding that he sees it as a way to pass along what others once taught him.

Ly’s approach to leadership and teamwork is shaped in part by his personal journey. Originally from Vietnam, he moved to the U.S. as a young child and grew up in Oakland, where his family faced economic hardship. Those experiences continue to influence how he leads, collaborates and supports his family.

Outside of work, Ly enjoys traveling with his family and exposing his children to different cultures, languages and ways of life. He said those experiences help broaden their understanding of the world beyond California.

“I love to travel,” he said. “I love to meet people from different parts of the world.”

Reflecting on his career, Ly encourages early-career employees to focus on doing excellent work in the role they were hired to do, while also staying open to learning and collaboration. At a place as interdisciplinary as LLNL, he said, technical skills matter, but so does being a strong teammate.

“Future projects for scientists and engineers are going to be super interdisciplinary, bringing together people from all kinds of different technical backgrounds. You have to learn how to be a very good team player,” he said.

Looking ahead, Ly remains energized by the opportunities to keep learning, contributing to meaningful projects and working alongside colleagues whose experience spans decades of Laboratory history.

“I’m very fortunate to be working here,” he said. “I've had the opportunity to work on some really impactful projects that you just don't find anywhere else.”