Theoretical Physics. Particle Physics and the Theories of Electromagnetic and Strong Interactions. Strong-Field Quantum Electrodynamics employing High-Power Lasers.

Tom is an internationally leading expert in laser particle physics. During its preparatory stage he was the particle physics coordinator of the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) project, a European initiative involving research and academic institutions from 13 EU member countries. In this role, he co-authored the White Paper for the Bucharest-Magurele laser nuclear physics facility. Tom is a member of the User Group of the Central Laser Facility (CLF) at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory. In this role he co-authored the White Paper for the Vulcan 10 PW upgrade project and regularly contributes to the CLF Annual Report, which is by invitation only. Tom also worked as a theory consultant on laser particle physics for the High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) in Tsukuba, Japan. He is a member of the Helmholtz Beamline User Consortium planning the combination of the X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) at DESY, Hamburg, with a high-power optical laser. This worldwide unique project was formally approved by the European XFELCouncil in 2012. Tom regularly acts as a referee for top international journals in particle physics. In 2010 he was selected as an Outstanding Referee by the American Physical Society and as a most valued reviewer by Physics Letters B. .

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