Canadian Light Source 11th Annual Users’ Meeting Highlights
The Canadian Light Source’s 11th Annual Users’ Meeting (AUM), June 9-10, 2008 in Saskatoon, marked several firsts for the regular gathering of the Canadian synchrotron community. It was the first time the meeting was held in conjunction with an international meeting hosted by the CLS, sharing joint workshops with the fifth international MEDSI workshop and 15th Pan-American SRI conference. In addition, for the first time, all of the papers presented at the AUM described results obtained with data from the CLS.
After welcoming remarks by Ernst Bergmann, chair of the CLS Users’ Advisory Committee, participants in the meeting’s plenary session were provided with a facility update by CLS Director of Research Tom Ellis, Mark de Jong, the Director of Operations, and beamline development leader Emil Hallin. The facility continues to make excellent progress as it continues to grow as a user-friendly facility while building and commissioning new beamlines. Three of the Phase II beamlines received light during the latter part of 2007 and early 2008, with commissioning and even early experiments now underway. Two additional Phase II beamlines are undergoing final installation, with the last of the Phase II facilities, the BioMedical Imaging and Therapy beamlines, receiving regulatory approval to proceed with conventional commissioning activities.
Emil Hallin reported that the development of the Phase III experimental facilities was continuing, with a beamline scientist in place and starting detailed work on the BioXAS beamline. He also reported that the community had made submissions for several ‘Phase IV’ projects to the Canada Foundation for Innovation, including a proposal for a SAXS beamline, upgrades to three of the Phase I beamlines, as well as a new photoemission endstation.
The Canadian Institute of Synchrotron Radiation keynote speaker was Nils Petersen, Director General of Canada’s National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT). He provided an overview of some of the work currently underway at the facility, as well as described plans and opportunities for collaboration with the CLS.
The other keynote speaker was Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Dr. Phillipson’s remarks focused on the Canadian government’s science and technology strategy as it relates to the ongoing development of “Major Investments in Science and Technology” in the country, such as the CLS.
Users presented two sessions of scientific papers. The first, entitled ‘Research Highlights from the CLS,’ spanned all of the CLS’s research areas. The second session of papers focused on the work of young researchers. One of the most well-received presentations was made by one of the youngest researchers to ever use a synchrotron, high school senior Andrew Shaw from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. He reported on the results of the analysis of mono-floral honeys he and his classmates performed on the SGM beamline (11ID-1). The first study of its kind, the project’s proposal was the first winner of the CLS Students on the Beamlines Beamtime Prize.
The AUM concluded with a wine and cheese reception and poster session. The Canadian Institute of Synchrotron Radiation (CISR) poster prize went to two posters: “Electron Yield Detection in STXM: Improving Surface Sensitivity” by Shirin Behyan of the University of Saskatchewan; and Andrew Shaw and his Lloydminster Comprehensive High co-authors Alyssa Anderson, Sarah Ashley, Brittany Howes, Danielle Meunier, Jim Sarsons, Keshav Sharma and Hunter Weishaar for their contribution, “Soft X-ray Analysis of Mono-Floral Honey.” Tom Regier, science associate on the SGM beamline, won the UAC Award for User Support.
Planning is underway for our 2009 Annual Users’ meeting to be held June 17-18, 2009 in Saskatoon. Watch for more information coming soon!
Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:22