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Five researchers named to '40 Under 40' list

Diablo (Download Image) Five Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers join an eclectic group of entrepreneurs, writers, executives, philanthropists and more in Diablo Magazine’s annual “40 Under 40” list. Clockwise from top left Sarah Baker, Louisa Pickworth, Marcus Worsley, Alicia Williams and Leily Kiani.

Five Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers join an eclectic group of entrepreneurs, writers, executives, philanthropists and more on Diablo Magazine’s annual "40 Under 40" list, which recognizes young professionals in the East Bay who are leading the charge in their fields.

Louisa Pickworth, an experimental physicist and group leader in the Physics Division, works on X-ray diagnostics and inertial confinement fusion at the National Ignition Facility, the world’s largest and most energetic laser. She designs complex diagnostics that allow scientist to use X-rays to peer inside ultra-high energy physics experiments and has developed techniques to study physics affecting inertial confinement fusion implosions.

Sarah Baker, a staff scientist and deputy group leader for the Functional Materials Synthesis and Integration Group, works on developing technologies to help mitigate climate change. Targeting more efficient ways to mitigate methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas), she led a project to demonstrate that 3D printed enzymes (catalysts derived from micro-organisms) could directly convert methane to methanol. She also is leading a project to work toward industrial adoption of LLNL’s carbon capture materials.

Leily Kiani, a postdoctoral researcher in the Fiber Technologies Group, explores extending the utility of fiber lasers by increasing the frequency ranges accessible to fiber-based systems through novel fiber development and nonlinear frequency conversion. A recent focus of her work has been to investigate the ultimate noise performance in short pulse fiber amplifiers, with important implications for laser-driven particle accelerators and for realizing previously unobtainable states of matter through interaction with high intensity laser pulses.

Alicia Williams, a design engineer in the Defense Technologies Engineering Division, strives to ensure a safe and secure nuclear deterrent through her work as the engineering design lead for the nuclear explosive package in the 12-year, approximately $1.5 billion program to extend the life of the aging W80 nuclear warhead. She also has performed systems engineering for the W78/88 life extension program, providing leadership on multiple technical projects and teams.

Marcus Worsley, a chemist in the Advanced Materials Synthesis Group, aims to develop novel nanostructured and porous materials, such as aerogels and nanocomposites, for energy and environment-related applications, such as energy storage, gas sensing and catalysis. His recent areas of research have focused on finding ways to use various additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, to overcome materials and device limitations in this field.