High Energy Density Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, investigates the fate of matter in extreme environments, including high temperatures and pressure.
What happens to matter under the most extreme conditions in the Universe—inside stars, at the cores of giant planets, or in the blinding heat of fusion reactions?
These are the questions driving the High Energy Density (HED) Physics Group, led by Professor Thomas White at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
Investigating matter in extreme environments drives innovation
Our research recreates and studies the physics of extreme environments, using high-power optical lasers and X-ray free-electron lasers to generate conditions found in astrophysical plasmas, fusion experiments, and planetary interiors.
By combining precision experiments at world-leading facilities—including the National Ignition Facility, the Linac Coherent Light Source, and the European X-ray Free Electron Laser—with state-of-the-art simulations, we explore the fundamental behaviour of matter at extreme pressures and temperatures.
This work has broad implications, from understanding the formation of planets and stars to advancing fusion energy technologies that could revolutionise how we power the world. The insights gained also drive innovations in materials science, defence applications, and high-power laser technology.
About Professor Thomas White
Dr Thomas White is an Associate Professor of Physics at UNR. He earned his master’s degree in physics from the University of Bath (2005) and a PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics from the University of Oxford (2015), where he was awarded the Culham Thesis Prize in plasma physics.
Before joining UNR in 2017, he held postdoctoral positions at Imperial College London and the University of Oxford.
His research is funded by the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the National Science Foundation, including an NSF CAREER Award. He currently serves as Deputy Chair of the High Energy Density Science Association, working to advance the field and shape the future of high energy density research in the US.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- High energy density physics
- Laboratory astrophysics
- Plasma physics
- Nuclear fusion
- Material properties
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Matter under extreme conditions
- Free electron lasers
- Equations of state
- Transport properties
- X-ray diagnostics
