Rebecca Swertfeger
About Rebecca Swertfeger
Rebecca Swertfeger is a Diode Laser Engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, specializing in cryogenic amplifiers for high energy laser systems. She holds a PhD in Optics from the University of Rochester and has experience working with NASA and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Rebecca Swertfeger has been employed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a Diode Laser Engineer since 2018. In this role, she focuses on high power diode lasers and optical engineering projects. Her work contributes to advancements in laser technology, particularly in the context of high energy laser systems. The laboratory is known for its research in national security, energy, and environmental science, and Swertfeger's expertise plays a significant role in these initiatives.
Education and Expertise
Rebecca Swertfeger holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Optics/Optical Sciences from the University of Rochester, where she studied from 2021 to 2026. She also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Laser and Optical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, completing her studies there from 2014 to 2018. Her educational background equips her with a strong foundation in optical engineering, which she applies in her current research on cryogenic amplifiers for high energy laser systems.
Background
Rebecca Swertfeger completed her high school education at Turpin High School from 2010 to 2014. Following her high school graduation, she pursued a Bachelor’s Degree at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where she studied Laser and Optical Engineering. Her academic journey continued with a PhD program at the University of Rochester, focusing on Optics/Optical Sciences.
Previous Work Experience
Prior to her current position, Rebecca Swertfeger gained valuable experience in various roles. She worked as an Optical Engineer student researcher at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology from 2016 to 2018. She also served as a SHERLOC Optical Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Mars 2020 rover in 2017 for a duration of two months. Additionally, she worked as a Particle Physics Computational Analyst at the University of Cincinnati in 2015 for two months. These roles contributed to her expertise in optical engineering.