Landon Tafoya receives DOE NNSA Laboratory Residency Graduate Fellowship
The NERS PhD student will develop neutron imaging diagnostics for fusion at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Landon Tafoya, a doctoral student in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS) at the University of Michigan, has been selected for the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Laboratory Residency Graduate Fellowship (DOE NNSA LRGF).
The fellowship, awarded by the Krell Institute, supports doctoral students pursuing research in areas of critical interest to the NNSA and its national laboratories. In addition to an annual stipend and professional development support, the fellowship includes two 12-week residencies at national labs.
For Landon, the award builds on years of experience conducting fusion research at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). He began working there the summer after graduating from high school, after reading a news article about the National Ignition Facility that sparked his interest in inertial confinement fusion.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have received the LRGF — not only for the opportunities that it will provide, but also for the continued support and encouragement of those who have helped me along the way,” he said.
Landon earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in astrophysics from Washington University in St. Louis. There, he was drawn to the flexibility to explore a wide range of topics and career paths while continuing his plasma physics research at LANL. That experience helped him shape his academic goals and ultimately led him to NERS in the fall of 2022.
“I chose NERS for the flexibility, courses, and community,” he said. “From the beginning, I knew I wanted to pursue my dissertation research with LANL, and my advisor and the department have been very supportive of that goal. I was also impressed by the plasma physics and fusion-related courses and the strong sense of community among the grad students. I’ve made some truly amazing friendships here.”
At NERS, Landon works with the Plasma and Pulsed Power Laboratory under the guidance of Professor Ryan McBride. Here, Landon’s research focuses on neutron source development and diagnostics to study fusion plasmas produced by pulsed power drivers. These techniques are directly relevant to his continued work at LANL, where he is developing nuclear imaging diagnostics for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments at larger facilities.
“Landon is such a great student—it’s so nice to see him being honored and awarded for all his hard work and fantastic accomplishments!” said McBride. “He’s been at it, working summers at LANL, since he was barely out of high school!”
As part of his fellowship, Landon will return to LANL for two residencies focused on improving neutron imaging systems for ICF. His research will focus on the design of instrumentation and reconstruction techniques for collecting spatiotemporal neutron images using time-of-flight. These innovations could provide unprecedented insight into hotspot physics and ultimately help to advance the performance of fusion experiments.
Looking ahead, Landon is interested in continuing his career within the national laboratory system. “I really like the research culture and opportunities I’ve been exposed to so far,” he said. He also hopes his work will contribute to real-world applications that advance fusion energy and deepen our understanding of burning plasmas.
Landon is grateful to the NERS community for helping him reach this milestone. “I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point without the support of my advisors and fellow graduate students, both in my lab and across the department.”
When he’s not working on fusion diagnostics, you’re likely to find Landon outside—hiking, backpacking, fishing, or napping in a hammock. With the fellowship bringing him back to New Mexico, he’s excited to revisit some old hobbies as well: “Definitely looking forward to snowboarding and blacksmithing again.”
His advice to fellow students? “Apply for any fellowship or internship opportunity that allows you to spend time in an environment you’re considering for your future career—whether it’s a national lab, private company, or elsewhere. It’s a perfect way to figure out what works best for you.”