Executive Vice President of Research and Transfer

Résumé/Profile

Prof. Constantin Häfner has been the executive vice president of Research and Transfer at Fraunhofer since February 17, 2025.

After spending more than 15 years in Silicon Valley, Häfner returned to Germany to take over as director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, one of the world’s leading institutes for the development of laser technology for industry, research, space and medicine. Since 2019, he has also been a professor and director of the Chair for Laser Technology LLT in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University.

After graduating in physics from the University of Konstanz, Häfner began his research career at the Centre for Heavy Ion Research GSI in Darmstadt before being awarded his doctorate in physics at Heidelberg University at the end of 2003. In 2004, he moved to the U.S., where he first worked at the Nevada Terawatt Facility of the University of Nevada, Reno, before moving on to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California in 2006. There, he conducted research on the development and application of high-energy lasers for high-energy-density physics and nuclear fusion, among other things. At LLNL, he held various positions, including chief scientist for the Advanced Radiographic Capability at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) from 2012 to 2015 and director of the Advanced Photon Technologies Program from 2015 to 2019.

Häfner has received several awards for his outstanding achievements, including the Fusion Power Associates Leadership Award (2024) and the Federal Laboratory Consortium Tech Transfer Award (2018). He was also made a fellow of the Optical Society of America in 2017 and received the R&D100 Award in 2015. Häfner is involved in various advisory functions to promote the development of sustainable fusion energy in Germany and across the world.

Academic and professional career

• Since 2/2025 Executive vice president of Research and Transfer, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Munich, Germany
  
• 10/2019–2/2025 Executive director, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Aachen, Germany
  
• Since 11/2019 Professor and director for the Chair for Laser Technology (LLT), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
  
• 2015–2019 Director of the Advanced Photon Technologies Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, USA
  
• 2013–2017 Project director, High-Repetition Rate Advanced Petawatt Laser System (HAPLS), LLNL, Livermore, USA
  
• 2011–2014 Chief scientist, Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC), National Ignition Facility, LLNL, Livermore, USA
  
• 2006–2011 Senior research scientist, ARC Diagnostics System, NIF, LLNL, Livermore, USA
  
• 2004–2006 Chief laser scientist and assistant professor, Nevada Terawatt Facility (NTF), University of Nevada, Reno, USA
  
• 2003–2004 Consultant for high energy laser architecture and performance modeling, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
  
• 2003 Doctorate in physics at Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
  
• 2000–2003 Research scientist, Petawatt High Energy Laser for Heavy Ion Experiments (PHELIX), Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI), Darmstadt, Germany
  
• 1999 Graduation in physics at the University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
  

Selected honorary memberships in bodies and committees
National

• Since 2024 Fusion Research Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
  
• Since 09/2022 Commissary for fusion energy at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Germany
  
• 2022-2023 Head of the BMBF expert commission for laser-based nuclear fusion, Germany
  
• Since 2019 Spokesperson of the BMBF Digital Photonic Production research campus, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
  

International

• 2022-2023 Panel lead for drivers in the Inertial Confinement Fusion workshop, Basic Research Needs, Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science / Fusion Energy Sciences, USA
  
• Since 2020 International Scientific Advisory Committee EPAC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, STFC, United Kingdom
  
• 2019–2024 Board of trustees, Laser Institute of America, USA
  
• Since 2018 International program advisory committees at the Stanford National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests, USA
  
• Since 2015 EuPRAXIA (European Plasma Research Accelerator with eXcellence in Applications) scientific advisory committee, Europe