Keith Loebner

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Thermosciences Division of the Mechanical Engineering Department, and a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Research Fellow working with Professor Mark Cappelli in the Stanford Plasma Physics Laboratory. Although I also have interests in computational physics, plasma diagnostics and embedded devices/systems, the focus of my research is the study of high energy density plasma jets and the complex physics that governs their formation in pulsed power plasma sources. The applications of this technology range from the experimental simulation of astrophysical phenomena to the generation of extreme conditions such as those found in fusion reactors. I earned my S.B. in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011, with a minor in political science. I am interested in leveraging my unique skills gained at the intersection of engineering, applied physics, and computer science to develop transformative technologies for the world’s energy needs for generations to come. I grew up locally in Los Altos, California, and when not working at Stanford, I enjoy silversmithing, woodworking, hobby electronics, and playing with my two miniature Schnauzers, Bernoulli and Avogadro.