Our Leadership Team

John Gaskins leads Laser Thermal with a focus on translating fundamental thermal science into measurement tools that serve industry. His work sits at the intersection of rigorous metrology and practical engineering, building instruments that answer questions existing tools were not designed to address.
John earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia, then joined the ExSiTE Lab, one of the leading research programs in the interrogation of thermal properties at small scales, rising from Research Associate to Principal Scientist and co-director before founding Laser Thermal in 2020.
At Laser Thermal, John owns product strategy, customer engagement, and the translation of thermoreflectance methods into repeatable, industry-ready workflows. He works directly with customers across microelectronics, defense, and advanced manufacturing to ensure measurements connect to material and device decisions. He has authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed technical papers and was an invited speaker at FCMN 2026. He serves on boards and advisory committees spanning entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and scientific advising, including Venture Central, GENEDGE, and the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
John lives in Charlottesville with his wife and two children.

Patrick Hopkins is a leading researcher in nanoscale heat transfer, thermophysics, and laser interactions with materials, and the scientific foundation on which Laser Thermal’s measurement methods are built. As Whitney Stone Professor of Engineering at the University of Virginia, he continues to lead fundamental research in thermal sciences while shaping Laser Thermal’s scientific direction as Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer.
He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia, and following a Harry S. Truman Fellowship at Sandia National Labs, he returned to UVA where he went on to build one of the field’s most productive research programs. He is director of the ExSiTE Lab at UVA, with courtesy appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Physics. His current research spans energy transport laser-based interactions with materials, from nano-to-macroscales at extreme temperatures.
In the general fields of nanoscale heat transfer, laser interactions with matter, and energy transport, storage and capture, Patrick has authored or co-authored over 350 technical papers (peer reviewed), been awarded 6 patents focused on materials, energy and laser metrology for measuring thermal properties, and has given over 200 invited talks and been his work has been presented at over 500 contributed talks at domestic and international conferences, meetings and workshops. Patrick has been recognized for his accomplishments in these fields via an Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award, an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, the ASME Bergles-Rohsenhow Young Investigator Award in Heat Transfer, the ASME Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award, and a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineering, for which Patrick met President Barack Obama in 2016. Patrick is a fellow of ASME and AAAS, a recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, a three-time National Finalist of the Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists, and an alumnus of the Defense Science Study Group (DSSG, 2022 – 2024).
Patrick lives in Charlottesville with his wife and three children.

Daniel Schmidt brings over 20 years of semiconductor metrology experience to Laser Thermal, with a career built at the intersection of advanced materials characterization and manufacturing-ready measurement solutions.
He earned his undergraduate degree in Microsystems Technology in Germany and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He went on to hold a Senior Research Fellow position at the National University of Singapore, followed by senior roles at GlobalFoundries focused on metrology development for EUV lithography and process characterization. At IBM Research in Albany, he led a team developing metrology solutions for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing, working across optical and X-ray characterization techniques with a consistent focus on translating complex measurement capabilities into practical process control.
At Laser Thermal, Daniel leads technology strategy and the development of next-generation thermal metrology solutions. His work connects thermal property measurements to the materials selection, device performance, and reliability challenges that the semiconductor industry faces at every node. He brings particular depth in lab-to-fab transitions, ensuring that measurement capabilities developed in research environments become viable tools in manufacturing contexts.
He has authored or co-authored more than 80 journal articles and 125 conference contributions, and 3 book chapters, holds over 20 U.S. patents and applications, and is a Senior Member of SPIE, IBM Top Performer 2020, and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology.

Brian Foley leads research and development at Laser Thermal, with a focus on extending the company’s thermal metrology methods into application domains where nanoscale heat transport is most consequential.
He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Virginia, followed by a postdoctoral position at Georgia Tech and four years on the faculty at Penn State. His research spans thermal transport, RF and microwave electronics, and terahertz systems, a breadth that directly informs the measurement challenges Laser Thermal addresses.
At Laser Thermal, Brian develops novel metrology methods that expand what can be measured and at what length scales. His work is focused on applications where thermal properties at the nanoscale determine device performance and reliability: high-frequency and power electronics, solid-state lasers, and photonic devices. A full list of his publications is available on his Google Scholar page.

Hans Olson leads the development of Laser Thermal’s thin-film and semiconductor wafer metrology platform, taking instruments from initial concept through to working tools that operate reliably in the field.
He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia, where he conducted extensive research in the characterization of thermal properties of bulk and thin-film materials while building state-of-the-art optical measurement systems. He joined Laser Thermal directly following his PhD to lead the translation of the company’s core thermoreflectance method from academic prototype to commercial instrument.
At Laser Thermal, Hans owns the full development cycle across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. He leads product definition, system integration, and manufacturing, and works directly with customers through installation and training. His breadth across engineering disciplines allows Laser Thermal to bring measurement capabilities to market that are not only scientifically rigorous but practically deployable. He is passionate about developing tools that advance thermal conductivity measurements at both commercial and academic scales.
In his spare time, Hans enjoys climbing, fly fishing, and skiing.

Jeff Braun drives the research and development of next-generation thermal metrology platforms at Laser Thermal, alongside the programs that bring them from concept to deployment.
He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia, where he invented and patented Steady-State Thermoreflectance, the measurement method at the core of one of Laser Thermal’s primary instrument platforms. Before joining Laser Thermal, he served as a program manager at Northrop Grumman, working in superconducting and quantum computing as well as digital transformation. Earlier in his career, he held roles in systems engineering and intelligence analysis at the Office of Naval Intelligence.
At Laser Thermal, Jeff leads government and commercial programs, including serving as principal investigator for R&D contracts. Additionally, Jeff has invented the thermo-optical plane source (TOPS) technique and led the product development to transition it into our commercial product. His combination of deep metrology expertise and program management experience allows him to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and the operational and contractual demands of bringing advanced instrumentation to market.
Outside of work, Jeff loves being a dad and his hobbies include skiing, kayaking, and cooking.

Cindy Pryor leads human resources at Laser Thermal, supporting the people and culture that allow a technically demanding organization to grow well.

Over 21 years as a Spanish educator and school testing coordinator, she built the organizational discipline and people management skills that translate directly into effective HR practice. She went on to earn her SHRM-CP certification, making a deliberate transition into human resources.

At Laser Thermal, Cindy was one of the company’s earliest employees, contributing across multiple functions as the organization found its footing. She now focuses fully on HR, overseeing hiring, employee relations, and the people infrastructure that supports Laser Thermal’s continued growth.

Outside of work, Cindy enjoys staying active and spending time with her family and friends.

Cushing Whitney brings thirty years of software engineering experience to Laser Thermal, with a background spanning scientific computing, cloud platforms, financial services, and energy efficiency. He has spent his career building software where the code directly affects the validity of scientific output, not just user experience.
He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon and Columbia Universities and has worked across a range of startups and complex technical organizations throughout his career.
At Laser Thermal, Cushing leads the development of the user interfaces and analysis tools that sit between the instrument and the result. The work of his team ensures that the precision of the automated instrument, data capture and analysis is absolutely reliable.
In his off hours, Cushing enjoys travel, camping, and visiting wineries around central Virginia.

Christopher Stark manages Laser Thermal’s financial operations, overseeing all accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting for the organization.
He began his career in public accounting at Ernst and Young, where he served as a Senior Auditor specializing in the Aerospace and Defense industry. He went on to serve as Controller of Kensington Senior Living, overseeing all aspects of financial accounting and reporting across a complex multi-entity portfolio. He holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from James Madison University and is a former licensed CPA in Virginia.
At Laser Thermal, Christopher brings the financial discipline and reporting rigor that a growing instrumentation company requires as it scales programs, contracts, and customer relationships across government and commercial markets.