Jeffrey Hittinger

Jeff Hittinger is a Computational Scientist in the Center for Applied Scientific Computing (CASC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where he works primarily on the application of advanced discretization methods and techniques to plasma physics simulation.  Currently, Jeff is developing high-order finite volume methods for mapped multi-block domains in support of gyrokinetic tokamak edge simulation and high-order finite-volume methods with adaptive mesh refinement for kinetic simulation of laser plasma interactions.  He has also contributed to the development of several plasma physics codes based on fluid models.  Externally, Jeff serves on the committee developing the plan for the DOE’s proposed Fusion Simulation Program.  

In addition to plasma physics applications, for several years, Jeff has also worked on code and calculation verification of parallel, multi-physics codes as part of ASC V&V activities.  He is currently investigating a posteriori error estimation methods for finite-volume and finite-difference methods as part of an LLNL Strategic Initiative research project.  

Jeff graduated from Lehigh University in 1993 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics.  He attended the University of Michigan for his graduate studies, earning an M.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering in 1994 and an M.S. in Mathematics in 1997.  He earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and Scientific Computing in 2000 with his dissertation, “Foundations for the Generalization of the Godunov Method to Hyperbolic Systems with Stiff Relaxation Source Terms.”  Jeff’s graduate studies were supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and a DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship.  

Jeff joined the Institute for Scientific Computing Research at LLNL in October 2000 as a postdoctoral researcher.  In 2001, he was honored to be named one of two Frederick Anthony Howes Scholars in Computational Science.  Jeff was hired into CASC as a staff member in April 2002.  At LLNL, he has mentored several students and postdocs and currently leads the postdoctoral research program for the Computation Directorate.