Derek Schaeffer
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of California, Los Angeles
Office: 4-712 Physics and Astronomy Building
Biography
Dr. Schaeffer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at UCLA. He did his postdoc at Princeton University and received a Ph.D. from UCLA and a B.A. from Cornell University. He is the recipient of a 2023 Department of Energy Early Career Research award.
His research focuses on experiments and numerical simulations of strongly-driven magnetized plasma interactions relevant to laboratory astrophysics and magnetized high-energy-density (HED) physics, with applications to astrophysical phenomena, particle acceleration, inertial fusion energy, and novel diagnostic techniques. Major interests include magnetized collisionless shocks, magnetic reconnection, and ion-scale "mini" magnetospheres, all of which are commonly observed in heliospheric and astrophysical settings. He conducts experiments on these phenomena at a variety of facilities, including the Omega laser facility at the University of Rochester, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Z Machine at Sandia National Laboratories, and the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA, and specializes in optical, x-ray, and particle diagnostics.
Research Overview
Studying how collisionless shocks form and subsequently heat and energize particles
