�ճ����’s�� (LLE) will receive $111 million in federal funding from the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in fiscal year 2026 (FY26), which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

This amount is the largest annual funding level in LLE’s history and represents a 17 percent increase over the previous year, thanks to bipartisan support from the New York Congressional delegation and key committees. The funding was recently approved by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Trump. The funding will restart major sustainment projects to the Omega Laser Facility, the nation’s largest university-based DOE laser facility. NNSA provided a report to Congress outlining the needs for sustainment at all the major facilities supported by the inertial confinement fusion program, including the Omega Facility. Importantly, the sustainment program develops unique engineering solutions and engages high-tech businesses in the Finger Lakes region and nationwide.

LLE serves as a cornerstone of the US effort to study high-energy-density physics and laser-driven fusion. The FY26 funding from NNSA enables LLE to continue working with the scientific community in national laboratories and academia to develop novel diagnostics, experimental platforms, and laser technologies; to develop and demonstrate the physics required for laser-driven ignition, robust target performance, and scaling to high yield; and to innovate in all these research areas.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Representative Morelle for their longstanding support and tremendous efforts on behalf of the URochester,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “Their leadership to secure record funding for LLE will enable important research critical to both our national security and to help solve one of the greatest challenges of our future, harnessing fusion to power an ever better and more secure energy future. I also want to recognize and thank Representative Langworthy, Representative Tenney, and the other members of the New York Congressional delegation for their strong, consistent support.”

“LLE is home to the largest lasers at an academic institution in the world and serves as the nation’s premier laser user facility. NNSA’s Omega Laser Facility is in high demand by scientists at LLE, at national laboratories, and in academia, many of which are themselves sponsored by NNSA, DOE, and other US programs. This investment allows us to preserve and modernize the facility to meet the needs in the 2040s,” says LLE Director Christopher Deeney. He adds, “It will strengthen our ability to support the nation’s national security missions for NNSA, while expanding opportunities for scientific discovery and training for students.”

The FY26 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill also provides $8.4 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science—an increase over FY25—to advance key research areas, including high‑performance computing, quantum information science, artificial intelligence, and fusion energy sciences (with a focus on bringing fusion power to the electric grid). The bill also reinforces US scientific leadership by supporting the National Science Foundation’s investments in research, regional innovation, and critical scientific infrastructure nationwide.

LLE and the Ģ����ý’s research and user programs are leading in these priorities by advancing laser direct-drive fusion through the DOE IFE-COLoR hub; pioneering new diagnostics;developing new ultrahigh peak power, ultrafast laser technologies through to expand the frontiers of science using ultra-intense lasers; and growing a next-generation laser ecosystem through the Science, Technology, and Engineering for Laser and Laser Applications Research (STELLAR) NSF Engine.

Fueling regional economic growth

LLE drives significant regional development through its procurement activities and deep ties to the Rochester area’s optics, photonics, imaging, and lasers supply chain. The laboratory routinely sources optics, precision components, and advanced manufacturing services from local industry partners, channeling federal investment directly into Rochester-area businesses and creating high-skill jobs that support the region. “LLE and the Institute of Optics have a vibrant history of innovation and leadership in technology development, in part supported by the continued New York State investments,” says Deeney. “Such innovation benefits from the regional industrial ecosystem and frequently helps grow the capabilities of local industry. Continued innovation will keep Rochester as the place to develop lasers and optics.”

Government officials voice their support

Federal and state leaders praised the new federal investment as a reflection of LLE’s proven record of scientific excellence and innovation.

US Senator Charles Schumer: “The Ģ����ý’s Laser Lab research is essential for our national security and is vital to our regional economy. I am proud to deliver this massive $111 million boost in funding for ����dz������ٱ��’s Omega Laser Facility to ensure the over 1,000 local workers supported by the lab can stay laser-focused on continuing their groundbreaking energy research and keeping America’s nuclear stockpile safe. Eight years ago, when the lab was in danger, I stood at the lab with its hundreds of workers and pledged to focus like a laser to ensure this facility stays operational. Today, I’m proud to say this cutting-edge lab is not only surviving but thriving. I will always fight to ensure Upstate New York has the federal resources to lead the nation in scientific discovery.”

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: “As a longtime advocate for the Ģ����ý’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), I am proud to have helped secure record levels of funding support through this year’s funding package. LLE is a mission-critical asset for our nation in the heart of Rochester, and the OMEGA Laser facility continues to be highly sought after by academic researchers focused on groundbreaking research to support our national defense and clean energy breakthroughs. With this funding, research work will continue unabated, and numerous scientists, faculty, staff, and students who call LLE home will have modern facilities to tackle the challenges of the future.”

Congressman Joe Morelle: “Here in Rochester, we’re proud of our history of leading in advanced laser technology, but we could not have built our incredible reputation without contributions from the Ģ����ý and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. As Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I will continue to fight for consistent federal investment that funds the critical science that ensures our national security. I’m grateful to President Mangelsdorf, LLE Director Deeney, and the entire LLE team for all they do, and I look forward to our continued work together.”

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: “The Laboratory for Laser Energetics is a world-class research institution that plays an essential role in advancing fusion science, national security, and American technological leadership. This record FY26 funding ensures these programs can continue delivering critical capabilities in partnership through our national laboratories, universities, and defense programs. I appreciate the LLE’s work and remain committed to supporting strong federal partnerships with our research institutions that drive innovation, strengthen our energy security, and support high-skilled jobs in Upstate New York and across the country.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy: “The Laboratory for Laser Energetics is not only a pillar of American scientific innovation, but it’s also a strategic national security asset. I was proud to strongly support this record funding to ensure the Omega Laser Facility remains at the forefront of fusion and defense research, while supporting high-skill jobs, advanced manufacturing, and engineering excellence in Western New York. Strengthening LLE strengthens America’s energy security, reinforces our national defense, and ensures our region continues to play a critical role in keeping our nation safe and competitive.”

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris: “Supporting the Omega Laser Facility at the URochester helps to ensure New York remains at the forefront of fusion research and cutting-edge technologies that are vital to our state and nation’s security. This investment not only advances breakthrough science, but also supports a strong research ecosystem that attracts top talent, fuels innovation, and creates long-term economic opportunity for the region and beyond.”

, a professor of physics at the and a distinguished scientist at the University’s (LLE), is part of an international team that has been awarded a prestigious €14 million (approximately $16 million USD), six-year European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant.

The grant supports the use of multi-petawatt-class lasers and plasma accelerators to explore the non-perturbative quantum electrodynamics (NP-QED) regime, advancing our understanding of how matter behaves under the most intense electromagnetic fields ever produced on Earth.

The team also includes researchers from DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) Research Centre in Germany, CEA Paris-Saclay (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives) in France, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and ELI-NP (Extreme Light Infrastructure–Nuclear Physics) in Romania. The project is among the most competitive research awards in Europe, with only 66 projects selected from 701 applications (a 9.4 percent success rate).

‘A completely new regime of physics’

The project aims to test QED—the theory describing how light and matter interact—under unprecedentedly extreme conditions.

Using plasma accelerators and ultra-intense lasers, the team will attempt to expose ultra-relativistic electrons and positrons to electromagnetic fields exceeding the Schwinger limit, where it has been conjectured that the interaction between light and matter is much stronger than typically observed.

“We will need to develop a new theoretical approach to describe physics at these extremely high fields,” Di Piazza says. “At such intensities, QED is expected to behave as a strongly interacting theory—similar to quantum chromodynamics—which would open a completely new regime of physics.”

The NP-QED collaboration will combine expertise in quantum electrodynamics, plasma acceleration, and laser technology. Henri Vincenti (CEA Saclay) pioneered the relativistic plasma-mirror technique to boost laser intensity by several orders of magnitude; Andreas Maier (DESY) leads the development of compact and high-quality plasma accelerators; Jenny List (DESY) is responsible for designing new detectors suitable for measuring high-flux electron, positron, and photon signals; and Di Piazza will develop theoretical models to interpret experimental results and compare them with QED predictions.

Harnessing ultra-powerful lasers

The areas of study in this NP-QED award directly align with experiments that are central to , the proposed Optical Parametric Amplifier Line user facility at LLE, sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF).

Di Piazza is one of five co-principal investigators for the along with , a professor of optics and a distinguished scientist at LLE; Franklin Dollar from the University of California, Irvine; Eva Zurek from the University at Buffalo; and Ani Aprahamian from the University of Notre Dame. The proposed facility plans to deliver at extreme intensities.

“By scaling the results of our simulations, we expect to access the fully non-perturbative regime of quantum electrodynamics at NSF OPAL,” says Di Piazza. “This synergy between European and US facilities will drive major advances in fundamental physics, lasers, and detector technology.”

“Dr. Di Piazza’s contributions to this collaboration exemplify the innovative spirit of the people at the URochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics,” says Zuegel, who is also project director for NSF OPAL and division director of laser materials and technologies at LLE. “His theoretical leadership will deepen our understanding of the universe while advancing next-generation laser-driven science.”

“This ERC Synergy Grant is a testament to the world-class research being conducted at the URochester,” says , director of LLE. “Dr. Di Piazza’s involvement underscores Rochester’s central role in global collaborations that push the frontiers of physics—frontiers that will be illuminated through advanced laser technologies such as the European Extreme Light Infrastructure and the future NSF OPAL capability.”

Exploring nature’s extremes

����dz������ٱ��’s is internationally recognized for its research in high-intensity laser physics, quantum optics, condensed matter, astrophysics, and particle physics. The department maintains strong partnerships with national and international laboratories, training students to lead at the forefront of discovery.

For , the Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the department and a leading expert in theoretical astrophysics, the grant represents an opportunity to explore realms of physics that were once out of reach.

“The limits of how light and matter behave represent domains we’ve never been able to probe experimentally before,” he says. “This new grant will allow researchers from the URochester, coupled with an international team, to push the envelope and probe a new and critical scientific frontier. The new studies it allows will reveal aspects of the most extreme cosmic environments and uncover secrets hiding at the edges of known physics. It is fitting that the LLE is part of this groundbreaking research since it continues to define the cutting edge of using ultra-high-powered lasers to probe how light and matter behave together at nature’s extremes.”

, an associate professor of physics and chair of the department, agrees that the grant opens a new era of exploration that brings cosmic-scale physics into the laboratory.

“We are entering a new frontier where we can study these exotic physics in the lab,” he says. “This grant is very exciting, because it will lay the theoretical groundwork for the experiments in the next decade.”

Ģ����ý the ERC Synergy Grant

The (ERC) is Europe’s premier funding body for frontier research. ERC Synergy Grants support small teams of outstanding scientists working together across disciplines to address complex scientific problems. Each project is selected for its potential to make transformative contributions to its field.

The Ģ����ý’s (LLE) has been awarded a $2.25 million grant over three years from the US Department of Energy’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences. This funding establishes the that brings together academia, national laboratories, and the private sector to develop a clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy source, built on US leadership in inertial fusion.

Inertial fusion energy (IFE) is a cutting-edge technology that mimics the sun’s energy production process by fusing atomic nuclei under extreme conditions. Unlike traditional nuclear energy, IFE offers the promise of base-load energy with minimal radioactive waste, and a nearly limitless fuel supply. To more rapidly advance the nation’s path to fusion energy, the IFE-STAR ecosystem will advance fusion science and technology by building a national network of coordination and collaboration, while developing the scientists and engineers to grow and sustain the inertial fusion energy community.

The IFE-STAR program brings together three leading research institutions, each spearheading a unique hub to advance IFE science and technology:

• LLE’s IFE Consortium on hub
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Science and Technology Accelerated Research () hub
• Colorado State University’s hub

These hubs will leverage their expertise and resources to address critical challenges in IFE development, from target physics to driver technologies. In addition to the individual hubs, the overall ecosystem is envisioned to be inclusive of all current and future viable IFE concepts.

IFE-STAR aims to address critical objectives in IFE development, including:

• Advancing IFE science and technology
• Enhancing coordination and collaboration among researchers
• Developing a diverse and skilled workforce
• Creating an online platform for information sharing and resource allocation

“By uniting world-leading researchers and institutions, we aim to accelerate the development of a new energy industry that could revolutionize our approach to clean, sustainable power,” says Christopher Deeney, the director of LLE.

Shaping the future of fusion energy research

This year the initiative will launch an annual conference and a summer undergraduate research experience for developing a fusion-ready workforce.

The IFE-STAR program will host its April 7 to 11, 2025, in Breckenridge, Colorado. This event brings together leading researchers from around the world to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in IFE development.

Another key component of the IFE-STAR initiative is its commitment to developing future talent in the field of fusion energy. To that end, the program is launching a summer research opportunity——offering undergraduate students across the US hands-on experience working alongside leading IFE scientists and engineers across more than 20 institutions, including private industry partners.

“The IFE-STAR Ecosystem initiative’s emphasis on student involvement and cross-institutional collaboration is crucial in developing a fusion-ready workforce,” says Jean Paul Allain, the associate director of science for DOE’s Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program. “By fostering collaboration and nurturing talent from all sectors, we ensure that the transition to fusion energy becomes not only a scientific triumph but also a societal transformation.”

Ģ����ý the Laboratory for Laser Energetics

Founded in 1970 at the URochester, the houses the world’s two largest laser systems at any academic institution. Renowned for its pioneering research in inertial confinement fusion, plasma physics, high-energy-density physics, and advanced laser technologies, LLE has made transformative contributions to these fields, including groundbreaking work that contributed to the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. Led by a team of award-winning scientists, engineers, researchers, and technicians, LLE not only drives cutting-edge scientific discovery but also plays a vital role in educating and training the next generation of scientists and engineers.