Our Leadership

Over the years, Laser Thermal has built a culture of service, teamwork, and most important - innovation. We are proud that people choose Laser Thermal.

Laser Thermal Leadership:
Pioneering Experts in Semiconductor Thermal Characterization

At Laser Thermal, our leadership is fueled by a vision to define the future of thermal metrologies. We enable this vision by making thermal measurement tools more accessible, particularly in the realm of thermal conductivity. Through the innovative integration of optical technologies, our team of thermal conductivity experts delivers straightforward, precise, and swift assessments of thermal attributes, amplifying our customers’ comprehension of material characteristics. Our leadership team drives innovation in semiconductor thermal characterization, offering advanced laser flash analysis solutions for precise material testing.

John Gaskins
Co-Founder and CEO

CoFounder and CEO

John Gaskins

John Gaskins is co-founder and CEO of Laser Thermal. After nearly two decades of research at the University of Virginia in nanoscale property measurements, John now leads Laser Thermal in its pursuit to bring accessible and high-throughput thermal metrology tools to industry. In addition to leading Laser Thermal, he serves on the board of trustees for GENEDGE, Virginia’s member of the NIST MEP network, which serves manufacturers across the Commonwealth. He lives in Charlottesville with his wife and two children.

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Patrick Hopkins
Co-Founder and CSO

Co-Founder and CSO

Patrick Hopkins

Patrick Hopkins is co-founder and CSO of Laser Thermal, as well as the Whitney Stone Professor of Engineering at the University of Virginia (www.patrickehopkins.com). He has over 20 years of experience in pump-probe thermometry and has published more than 300 referred journal papers in the general field of thermal sciences. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys spending time in Charlottesville with his wife and three children.

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Hans Olson
Vice President of Product Development

Vice President of Product Development

Hans Olson

Hans Olson is the Vice President of Product Development at Laser Thermal. He has performed extensive research in the characterization of thermal properties of bulk and thin film materials while constructing state-of-the-art optical systems facilitating thermal measurements for nearly a decade. Hans received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia. Following his Ph.D., he joined Laser Thermal to lead the translation of SSTR-F from academic prototype to commercial product. He brings a wide breadth of knowledge in mechanical, thermal, electrical and software engineering, and is passionate about developing tools that are shaping the future measurements of thermal conductivity at commercial and academic scales. In his spare time, Hans enjoys the outdoors through climbing, fly fishing, and skiing.

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Brian Foley
Vice President of Research and Development

Vice President of Research and Development

Brian Foley

Brian Foley is the Vice President of Research and Development at Laser Thermal. He brings over 15 years of experience in research and product development in Thermal Transport and RF/Microwave/Terahertz electronics. Following his PhD at the University of Virginia, he held a post-doctoral position at Georgia Tech followed by four years on the faculty at Penn State. His work at Laser Thermal is focused on the development of novel metrology methods to enable new insight related to nanoscale thermal physics, as well as applications impacted thermally at these length scales including high-frequency/power electronics and solid-state lasers/lighting. A list of his publications can be found on his Google Scholar page.

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Jeff Braun
Vice President of Programs and Strategy

Vice President of Programs and Strategy

Jeff Braun

Jeff Braun is Vice President of Programs and Strategy at Laser Thermal, where he leads program management of Laser Thermal’s government and commercial programs as well as spearheading the research and development for one of Laser Thermal’s next generation of products. Jeff received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia, where he invented and patented Steady-State Thermoreflectance. Before joining Laser Thermal, Jeff was a program manager at Northrop Grumman, where he worked in superconducting and quantum computing as well as digital transformation. Jeff also has prior experience in systems engineering and intelligence analysis, having worked at the Office of Naval Intelligence. In his free time, Jeff enjoys skiing, kayaking, and cooking.

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Ron Fisher
Vice President of Sales and Business Development

Vice President of Sales and Business Development

Ron Fisher

Ron Fisher serves as Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Laser Thermal, leveraging more than 26 years of extensive industry expertise. In his current role, he leads the charge in shaping sales, marketing, and business development strategies for the company’s advanced optical technologies, enabling meticulous thermal measurements of materials at the nanoscale. Before joining Laser Thermal, Ron assumed executive leadership roles in additive manufacturing, plastic injection molding, and metrology systems for the tire & automotive industries. Ron is an alumnus of The University of Akron, holding a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and he furthered his education with an MBA from Kent State University. During his leisure hours, Ron enjoys boating, mountain biking, and prioritizes fitness activities.

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Christopher Stark
Controller

Controller

Christopher Stark

Christopher Stark is the Controller for Laser Thermal. In this role he is responsible for all accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting activities of the organization. Prior to joining Laser Thermal, he served as Controller of Kensington Senior Living, LLC a privately held owner and operator of assisted living and memory care communities, overseeing all aspects of financial accounting and reporting for the entire Kensington portfolio. Mr. Stark began his career in public accounting with Ernst and Young, where he was a Senior Auditor specializing in the Aerospace and Defense industry. Mr. Stark is a former licensed CPA in Virginia and received his Master of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Accounting from James Madison University.

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Cindy Pryor
HR/Operations

HR/Operations

Cindy Pryor

Cindy Pryor is the Operations Manager at Laser Thermal. Before joining Laser Thermal, she cultivated extensive experience over 21 years as a Spanish educator and school testing coordinator. Transitioning her expertise to human resources, she earned her SHRM-CP certification, bringing a unique blend of organizational skills and people management to her role. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active through workouts and cherishes quality time with her family and friends.

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Our leadership vision extends beyond mere provision; we aspire to fortify every facet of science, technology, and engineering with the insights and instruments essential for deciphering the intricacies of material thermal behavior, from the elemental level to practical applications. Continuously pushing boundaries, we redefine the parameters of optical thermal metrologies, perpetually innovating to expand the horizons of thermal understanding.

Seamless combination of disciplines like thermal transport, optics, materials physics, machine learning, AI, and intelligent design, allows us to drive ongoing advancement and accessibility to emerging technologies.

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We’re passionate about serving our clients to the fullest, while continuously growing, learning, and innovating. We take prided in offering unique solutions to a difficult problem – thermal measurements at the small scale.