Mike Dunne is an expert in the design, construction and operation of a wide range of large-scale research facilities. He is a Professor of Photon Science at Stanford University, an Associate Laboratory Director at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Director of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), a multi-billion dollar research facility operated on behalf of the US Department of Energy.

From 2010-2014, Mike was the Director for Laser Fusion Energy at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). His role was to ensure full advantage is taken of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a $3.5 billion investment designed to demonstrate net fusion energy production. At LLNL, Mike also held the role of Program Director for high average power laser development, initiating a number of projects including the High Average power Petawatt Laser System (HAPLS), for the newly constructed European ELI-Beamlines laser facility.

Prior to that, he served as Director of the United Kingdom’s Central Laser Facility (CLF) and as international project leader for the European laser fusion project ‘HiPER’.

Mike obtained his doctorate in laser fusion and laboratory astrophysics research from Imperial College, London. His personal research as part of the Photon Science faculty at Stanford focuses on the development and application of X-ray science across a broad range of research activities.