About TAU Systems

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Twenty-five years ago a lecture by Professor Charles K. Rhodes from the University of Chicago
sparked the passion for ultra-high, relativistic laser intensities, plasma electrons lab experiments.

From there Björn Manuel Hegelich brought that spark to the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Germany, working with Professors K. Witte, J. Meyer-ter-Vehn and D. Habs. His PhD work focused on laser-driven particle acceleration, using for the first time a new generation of ultra-short pulse lasers based on chirped pulse amplification (CPA) invented by Nobel Prize winners Donna Strickland and Gérard Mourou. CPA made it possible to achieve laser-particle acceleration to high energy.

This, for the first time, brought the concept of laser-plasma accelerators out of the theoretical realm into the possible.
“This concept was first developed by Toshiki Tajima and John Dawson in 1979, and it completely captured my passion. I understood the incredible promise for research and industrial advancement if we could make this technology accessible to the masses. The potential for accelerating discoveries in everything from medical treatments to environmental solutions was overwhelming and drove my studies.”
Björn Manuel Hegelich
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Two decades later, we have successfully shown acceleration of electrons and ions, the generation of neutrons and even muons, as well as emission of electromagnetic radiation over almost the entire spectrum.
The time has come for the next step – to bring plasma ACCELERATORS into the mainstream.

Just as the microscope and personal computer allowed for foundational changes in human history, making high-energy particle accelerators compact and ubiquitous will bring another foundational change that will benefit humanity in unparalleled ways.

Meet the team

Our mission, and the main driving force behind this team, is to change the science and business worlds by leading to new discoveries that would have been previously difficult to achieve or outright impossible. With unprecedented access to this new tool, there is no limit to the progress that biologists, chemists, physicists, medical professionals, material scientists, aerospace engineers and energy engineers can make in their sectors and the new technologies, products and companies that can spring from it.

The minds behind TAU Systems have been working on this mission supported by founding investor Lukasz Gadowski, who shares the same vision: to change the world for the better through scientific progress.

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Ted Borger
Technologist | Laser
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MacKenzie Connolly
Engineer | Mechanical
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Quynh Anh Dang
Office Manager


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Charlene Donovan
Director | Finance
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Philip Franke
Scientist | Laser-Plasma Interaction
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Miguel Gracia
Computational Physicist
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Thanh Ha
Graduate Intern
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Ziaul Hoque
Senior Engineer | Laser Systems
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Rahul Kumar
Computational Scientist
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Lance Labun
Senior Scientist | Theory and Computation
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Edward McCary
Graduate Intern
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Klaus Metzger
Director | Laser Science and Technology
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Guillaume Plateau
Senior Scientist | Laser Plasma Interaction
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Grant Richmond
Engineer | Laser Systems
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Herbie Smith
Scientist | Laser Plasma Interaction
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Reinier van Mourik
Senior Data Scientist
“We are building a machine for cutting-edge research in biotech, physics, materials science and true business development. This is about changing the world in real ways — outside the lab. We’re doing something nobody has done yet. And by doing it, we’re learning more and bringing about a new wave of global science and tech discoveries."
Lukasz Gadowski

Our advisory board


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E. Michael Campbell
Former Director | Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester

Former Director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester, Mike is an internationally known expert in inertial fusion, high-energy-density physics, high-power lasers and their applications, and advanced energy technologies. He has held leadership positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, General Atomics, Logos Technologies and Sandia National Laboratories.

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Mike Downer
Distinguished Professor | University of Texas at Austin

Distinguished Professor, University of Texas at Austin. A leader in the development of laser-driven particle acceleration, Mike is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America. Mike holds an MSc from Oxford University and a PhD from Harvard University.


ACADEMIC COLLABORATORS

CEO of TAU Systems, Björn Manuel Hegelich is also a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the pioneers of laser-driven particle accelerators. Many of the TAU Systems concepts are based on inventions made in his laboratory and his groups hold multiple world records in laser-particle acceleration. He has assembled a network of academic collaborators who help keep TAU Systems at the leading edge of science.

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Jason Brooks
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Ou Zhang Labun
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Dung Duc Phan
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Ritwik Sain
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Rafal Zgadzaj

Our BUSINESS COLLABORATORS

Established in January 2020, the Texas Innovation Center is the hub at The University of Texas at Austin for bringing engineering and science discoveries and technologies to the market.

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Van Truskett
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | TEXAS INNOVATION CENTER

With a track record of innovation, leadership and attainment of business results in nanoimprint lithography addressing its introduction and use in the semiconductor, hard disk drive and emerging market (bio, solar, LED, display) applications, Van has technical, operations and strategic leadership experience related to semiconductor equipment manufacturing and inkjet printhead R&D and product release.

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Ashley Jennings
MANAGING Director | TEXAS INNOVATION CENTER

An award-winning entrepreneur and skilled operator with 10+ years of experience in project management, investor relations, portfolio operations, media, fundraising, sales, event management, community engagement, strategic partnerships and curriculum creation, Ashley currently sits on the new venture and technology commercialization team at The University of Texas at Austin.

Join Us on Our Journey as We Make the Unseen Seen and the Impossible… Possible.