Our team attended the 2026 SSAP Symposium, held February 23–24, 2026, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland.
Members Present:
- Faculty
- Roger French – Director, MDS3 Center
- Laura Bruckman – Co-Director
- Staff
- Tariq Shabazz – Program Manager
- Graduate Students
- Jonah Bachman – Graduate Student
- Hein Htet Aung – Graduate Student
Key Highlights:
- The keynote address was delivered by David A. LaGraffe, PhD, Colonel (USA ret.), offering leadership insights and perspectives relevant to stewardship science.
- The symposium provided opportunities for participants to learn about cutting-edge research, network during sessions and poster presentations, and connect with national laboratory staff and sponsors.
- Goals included highlighting academic accomplishments, promoting user communities in physical sciences, fostering collaboration between participants and national labs, and encouraging student and postdoctoral researcher involvement.
- Both graduate students, Jonah Bachman and Hein Htet Aung, presented their research in the SSAP Poster Session, actively engaging with attendees and promoting student involvement.
Additional Notes:
- The event was in-person only, featuring a graduate student lunch, networking opportunities, and a poster session.
- All presentations and discussions were unclassified, allowing for open exchange of ideas and interests.
- The symposium was sponsored by NNSA’s Office of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, including the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) and High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP) programs.
We are proud of our team’s participation and look forward to applying insights gained from the event to our ongoing research activities within the MDS3 Center.
