Joseph R. Smith

My research interests include the modeling and analysis of intense laser-matter interactions with computer simulations and statistical/data science techniques. I am also involved in STEM education research and have made contributions to open educational resources and open-source scientific software. My research utilizes high performance computing resources from the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) and top systems around the country.

Recent projects include machine learning and optimization for laser-ion acceleration, simulations of laser-driven fusion, code development to model laser-induced damage of optical components, scientific code comparisons, and the development/evaluation of new instructional tools such as virtual reality.

• DATA 106: Introduction to Data Science

• J. R. Smith, Z. Su, S. Zhang, C. Varin, V. E. Gruzdev, and E. A. Chowdhury. “A Fully Three-Dimensional Kinetic Particle-In-Cell Framework for Modeling Laser-Dielectric Interactions: Few-Cycle Pulse Damage” High Power Laser Science and Engineering 2025.
• N. Tamminga, S. Feister, K. D. Frische, R. Desai, J. Snyder, J. J. Felice, J. R. Smith, C. Orban, E. A. Chowdhury, M. L. Dexter, A. K. Patnaik. “Toward intelligent control of MeV electrons and protons from kHz repetition rate ultra-intense laser interactions.” APL Machine Learning 2025.
• R. Desai, T. Zhang, R. Oropeza, J. J. Felice, J. R. Smith, A. Kryshchenko, C. Orban, M. L. Dexter, A. K. Patnaik. “Applying Machine Learning Methods to Laser Acceleration of Protons: Lessons Learned from Synthetic Data.” Contributions to Plasma Physics, 2025.
• L. Daneshmand, M. Aszalos, S. Feister, J. R. Smith, “Intensity and Dimensionality-Dependent Dynamics of Laser-Proton Acceleration in 1D, 2D, and 3D Particle-in-Cell Simulations.”  Physics of Plasmas, 2025.
• B. M. Knight, C. M. Gautam, C. R. Stoner, B. V. Egner, J. R. Smith, C. M. Orban, J. J. Manfredi, K. D. Frische, M. L. Dexter, E. A. Chowdhury, A. K. Patnaik. “Detailed Characterization of a kHz-Rate Laser-Driven Fusion at a Thin Liquid Sheet with a Neutron Detection Suite” High Power Laser Science and Engineering 2024.
• M. Shcherbakov, G. Sartorello, S. Zhang, J. Bocanegra, M. Bosch, M. Tripepi, N. Talisa, A. AlShafey, J. Smith, S. Londo, F. Légaré, E. Chowdhury, G. Shvets. “Nanoscale Reshaping of Resonant Dielectric Microstructures by Light-Driven Explosions” Nature Communications 2023.
• J. R. Smith, B. Snapp, S. Madar, J. R. Brown, J. Fowler, M. Andersen, C. D. Porter, C. Orban “A Smartphone-Based Virtual Reality Plotting System for STEM Education” PRIMUS, 2022.
• J. R. Smith, C. Orban, N. Rahman, B. McHugh, R. Oropeza, E. A. Chowdhury “A Particle-In-Cell Code Comparison for Ion Acceleration: EPOCH, LSP, and WarpX” Physics of Plasmas, 2021.
• N. Rahman, J. R. Smith, G. Ngirmang, C. Orban “Particle-in-Cell Modeling of a Potential Demonstration Experiment for Double Pulse Enhanced Target Normal Sheath Acceleration” Physics of Plasmas, 2021.
• J. R. Smith, C. Orban, J. T. Morrison, K. M. George, G. K. Ngirmang, E. A. Chowdhury, and W. M. Roquemore. “Optimizing Laser-Plasma Interactions for Ion Acceleration using Particle-in-Cell Simulations and Evolutionary Algorithms.” New Journal of Physics, 2020.

• APS-Simons Travel and Professional Development Award, 2024-2025
• Doc Brown Young Investigator Award, American Physical Society, 2024