Current events

1. Diamond announces new CEO

On 3 July 2013, the Diamond Light Source Board of Governors announced that Professor Andrew Harrison will become Chief Executive Officer of the Diamond Light Source. Professor Harrrison, who is currently Director General of Insitute Laue–Langevin in Grenoble, France, will take his new position on 1 January 2014. Diamond Board Chairman, Lord Broers, commented, `Professor Harrison brings to the role a wealth of science and management experience, and the Board is delighted that he has chosen to return to the UK to take up this prestigious role'.

Figure 1 Professor Andrew Harrison, the new CEO of Diamond Light Source.

Professor Harrison will replace Diamond's founding CEO, Professor Gerhard Materlik, whose term concludes on 1 September 2013. Diamond's Director of Science, Professor Trevor Rayment, will act as CEO until Professor Harrison's arrival in January 2014. Lord Broers praised Professor Materlick's leadership, saying, `Gerd deserves a great deal of praise for turning the dream of Diamond into a fully fledged operating facility serving thousands of academic and industrial users'.

2. NSLS II designer honoured with Order of the Sacred Treasure

In a 5 July 2013 ceremony in New York City, USA, Brookhaven National Laboratory Senior Scientist Emeritus Satoshi Ozaki was awarded Japan's prestigious Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. The honour was bestowed by Emperor Akihito of Japan and presented by Acting Consul General Fumio Iwai in recognition of Ozaki's contributions in physics and for his promotion of Japan–USA cooperation in physics.

The award specifically recognized Ozaki's contributions to the design and construction of accelerators that have resulted in major machines for fundamental science on two continents. During his more than 50 year career, Ozaki transitioned from experimental particle physics research to lead the development of high-energy physics machines TRISTAN in Japan and RHIC at Brookhaven. More recently, Ozaki joined the National Synchrotron Light Source II in 2005 to lead the construction of an innovative third-generation synchrotron source at Brookhaven with four orders of magnitude greater brilliance than the existing National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS). Moreover, Ozaki's central role in the design of machines both in Japan and USA has made him an ambassador of cooperation between the two countries with initiation and oversight of an Agreement on High-Energy Physics between the Japanese and US governments.

Responding to the awards, Dr Ozaki commented, `I am very much honoured and grateful to the Government of Japan for its recognition of my contributions to the advancement of science and deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the United States. There have been many people behind these achievements and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their thoughtful support.'

Figure 2 Dr Satoshi Ozaki with his prestigious Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.

3. Brock new Director of CHESS

On 1 July 2013, Joel Brock succeeded Sol Gruner as Director of the Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS). Brock, a Professor in the Applied and Engineering Physics Department of Cornell University, is a long-time user of CHESS with a research focus in X-ray diffraction to probe solid-state materials. A specific interest is in the kinetics of pulsed laser deposition. Brock praised Gruner's 17 years of service as director of CHESS, `Sol has been very good at identifying and attracting really high-quality talent both in terms of our employees and scientists but also in terms of external collaborators and people who use the place. When you think about all the things you want a Director to do, from new capital equipment to new facilities, to hiring great staff and attracting world-class collaborators, what else could you possibly imagine? And he did it for 17 years.'

Figure 3 Outgoing Director Sol Gruner (left) with new Director Joel Brock at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source.

4. National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center of Taiwan signs MOU with university and laboratory partners

On 5 June 2013, the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) and the National Applied Research Laboratory (NAR Lab). The purpose of the alliance is to facilitate the industrialization of research results and assist Taiwan entrepreneurs in advancing scientific development. The MOU was signed by Shih-Lin Chang, Director of NSRRC, Lih J. Chen, President of NTHU, and Liang-Gee Chen, President of NAR Lab. The scope of the collaboration combines synchrotron technology with resources in optical and electrical systems integration, optical imaging, vacuum and micro/nano, biotechnological and medical materials research and other core technical capabilities from NSRRC with business consultation from the NTHU innovative incubator center and industrial promotions through the NAR Lab.

Figure 4 Strategic MOU signing ceremony.

5. LCLS seeks Director

The Linear Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC in Menlo Park, California, USA, is inviting applications for the position of Associate Laboratory Director and Director of the LCLS. The LCLS is the world's most powerful X-ray laser and the first free-electron laser to operate in the 0.15–1.5 nm range. Scientists with a combination of scientific vision, accomplishment and leadership are invited to apply. The LCLS Directorate includes approximately 180 employees who are pushing the state-of-the art.

6. International Congress on X-ray Optics and Microanalysis, ICXOM22, 2–6 September 2013

The ICXOM22 meeting will be held on 2–6 September 2013 at Hamburg University, Germany. The meeting is dedicated to the fields of micro- and nano-analysis by means of X-ray beams with an emphasis on synchrotron radiation sources. Topics include fluorescence and spectroscopy, full-field imaging, scanning microscopy, coherence applications and time-resolved experiments.

7. New imaging and medical facility opened at Australian Synchrotron

On 30 July 2013, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr opened the AUD 25 million imaging and medical beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. The beamline has been under development since 2007 and will enable high-resolution imaging inside the body for new research diagnostics and treatments. The beamline delivers the world's widest synchrotron beam. The beamline is jointly funded with AUD 10 million under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and ten Foundation investors, and AUD 14.7 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Victorian Government.

Figure 5 From left to right, Greg Storr (ANSTO), Minister Carr, Andrew Peele and Daniel Hausemann (both Australian Synchrotron) at the beamline endstation.