Daresbury gets a new SR Science Director

Mike Chesters of the University of Nottingham joined the Daresbury Laboratory at the beginning of June as the CCLRC Director of SR Science. He was Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Nottingham and was the head of the School of Chemistry for three years from 1995 until 1998. He graduated from the University of London and gained his doctorate in surface chemistry in 1972. His early research interests may be summarized as the development and application of surface spectroscopic techniques. In the past five years he has become involved in wider aspects of the applications of chemical spectroscopy, largely through his interests in synchrotron IR spectroscopy and its applications in biomedicine. He recently led the development of a new IR microspectroscopy beamline at the SRS. Taking up this role as the CCLRC Director of SR Science he said that he feels enthusiastic about the challenge of maintaining and enhancing the impact of UK SR research as we look towards the Diamond Light Source coming on stream. Mike is particularly excited about the prospect of the 4th Generation Light Source (4GLS), which would continue a proud tradition of light-source innovation at Daresbury Laboratory.