From the Director of the Photon Science Directorate: Photon Science at SLAC–What, Why and Where to?

by Keith Hodgson

SLAC's outstanding reputation is built upon seminal scientific discovery, much of it enabled and facilitated by advanced accelerator-based tools for which SLAC has so often pioneered new ground. This is true in Particle Physics and Astrophysics. It is also true in the area we call photon science at SLAC—that is, the use of X-rays to study and understand the structure and behavior of matter down to the atomic scales of space and time, with relevance to fundamental scientific challenges, and important societal problems related to energy, the environment and human health.

The roots of photon science at SLAC can be traced back to the founding of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project in 1973, where a group of Stanford University faculty partnered with SLAC faculty and senior staff to conceive and create one of the first X-ray synchrotron user facilities in the world, parasitic on the SPEAR storage ring. Looking back, a key reason for success came from the intellectual leadership provided by faculty and scientific staff who developed new instrumentation, developed innovative new methodologies and analysis techniques, trained young scientists and rapidly engaged the outside academic and industrial user communities in what became a worldwide model for how to operate a synchrotron user facility. That beginning led to what we know of today as the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) and from it came the Sub-Picosecond Pulse Source (SPPS) and the beginning of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). SSRL, with its integrated portfolio of photon science research, strongly helped catalyze the remarkable growth in synchrotron science worldwide that has now come to serve tens of thousands of users worldwide at dozens of synchrotron facilities. Read more...

Reminder: Ice Cream on the Green

by Melinda Lee

The PEP-II Storage Ring.
(Image courtesy of Peter Ginter)

This Monday at 2:30 pm on SLAC's main lawn the BaBar collaboration will host a gathering to thank the PEP-II team and laboratory staff for a decade of data from the B-Factory. Persis Drell, Hassan Jawahery, David MacFarlane, Jonathan Dorfan and John Seeman will each speak briefly before refreshments are served.

Join your colleagues and friends for free ice cream sundaes and snacks at this very special celebration of the people and the legacy of PEP-II.

Word of the Week:
Neutrino

by Brad Plummer

A neutrino is an elementary particle that has no charge and likely a very small mass, and is created by processes including radioactive decay or nuclear reactions, such as those in the sun. Neutrinos interact only very weakly with ordinary matter, making them extremely difficult to detect. More than 50 trillion neutrinos from the sun pass through our bodies every second.

Hugh Montgomery Named Jefferson Lab's New Director

from a Jefferson Lab Press Release

Hugh E. Montgomery, a highly regarded nuclear physicist with an extensive research portfolio and broad international experience, today was named director of the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.

Montgomery's appointment as the lab's third director was announced by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, which manages and operates Jefferson Lab for DOE.

Montgomery, the associate director for research at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory since 2002, will begin his new duties at Jefferson Lab on Sept. 2. Fermilab, located in Batavia, Ill., also is a DOE research facility. Read full press release...

Building the LCLS: Weekly Update

by Brad Plummer

Construction highlights from the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) this week include:

- Beginning of installation of first equipment stands in the Beam Transport Hall.

- Paving the fan out road where the south access road runs into the Research Yard next to the Beam Transport Hall.

- Installing fire alarms in the Undulator Hall.

- Preparations for the final concrete pour in the Far Experimental Hall and X-ray Tunnel.

Events

April 7: (2:30 p.m.) Ice Cream on the Green to Celebrate PEP-II and Laboratory Staff
April 10: (8:30 a.m.) W.K.H. Panofsky: A Symposium Celebrating Pief

Access (see all)

Announcements
(see all | submit)

Lab Announcements

Community Bulletin Board

News (see all | submit)

How Aztecs Did the Math Science
Gravitational Wave Detectors to get Major Upgrade New Scientist

<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %>

View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.

From the Director of the Photon Science Directorate: Photon Science at SLAC–What, Why and Where to? by Keith Hodgson SLAC's outstanding reputation is built upon seminal scientific discovery, much of it enabled and facilitated by advanced accelerator-based tools for which SLAC has so often pioneered new ground. This is true in Particle Physics and Astrophysics. It is also true in the area we call photon science at SLAC—that is, the use of X-rays to study and understand the structure and behavior of matter down to the atomic scales of space and time, with relevance to fundamental scientific challenges, and important societal problems related to energy, the environment and human health. The roots of photon science at SLAC can be traced back to the founding of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project in 1973, where a group of Stanford University faculty partnered with SLAC faculty and senior staff to conceive and create one of the first X-ray synchrotron user facilities in the world, parasitic on the SPEAR storage ring. Looking back, a key reason for success came from the intellectual leadership provided by faculty and scientific staff who developed new instrumentation, developed innovative new methodologies and analysis techniques, trained young scientists and rapidly engaged the outside academic and industrial user communities in what became a worldwide model for how to operate a synchrotron user facility. That beginning led to what we know of today as the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) and from it came the Sub-Picosecond Pulse Source (SPPS) and the beginning of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). SSRL, with its integrated portfolio of photon science research, strongly helped catalyze the remarkable growth in synchrotron science worldwide that has now come to serve tens of thousands of users worldwide at dozens of synchrotron facilities. Read more...

Reminder: Ice Cream on the Green by Melinda Lee The PEP-II Storage Ring. (Image courtesy of Peter Ginter) This Monday at 2:30 pm on SLAC's main lawn the BaBar collaboration will host a gathering to thank the PEP-II team and laboratory staff for a decade of data from the B-Factory. Persis Drell, Hassan Jawahery, David MacFarlane, Jonathan Dorfan and John Seeman will each speak briefly before refreshments are served. Join your colleagues and friends for free ice cream sundaes and snacks at this very special celebration of the people and the legacy of PEP-II. Word of the Week: Neutrino by Brad Plummer A neutrino is an elementary particle that has no charge and likely a very small mass, and is created by processes including radioactive decay or nuclear reactions, such as those in the sun. Neutrinos interact only very weakly with ordinary matter, making them extremely difficult to detect. More than 50 trillion neutrinos from the sun pass through our bodies every second.	Hugh Montgomery Named Jefferson Lab's New Director from a Jefferson Lab Press Release Hugh E. Montgomery, a highly regarded nuclear physicist with an extensive research portfolio and broad international experience, today was named director of the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Montgomery's appointment as the lab's third director was announced by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, which manages and operates Jefferson Lab for DOE. Montgomery, the associate director for research at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory since 2002, will begin his new duties at Jefferson Lab on Sept. 2. Fermilab, located in Batavia, Ill., also is a DOE research facility. Read full press release... Building the LCLS: Weekly Update by Brad Plummer Construction highlights from the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) this week include: - Beginning of installation of first equipment stands in the Beam Transport Hall. - Paving the fan out road where the south access road runs into the Research Yard next to the Beam Transport Hall. - Installing fire alarms in the Undulator Hall. - Preparations for the final concrete pour in the Far Experimental Hall and X-ray Tunnel.	Events April 7: (2:30 p.m.) Ice Cream on the Green to Celebrate PEP-II and Laboratory Staff April 10: (8:30 a.m.) W.K.H. Panofsky: A Symposium Celebrating Pief Access (see all) Alpine Gate & PEP Ring Road closed Gates 17 & 30 open 24-7 Research Yard bisected Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements New Publication: ESH Manual, Chapter 50, Non-ionizing Radiation Symposium to Celebrate Pief Panofsky Community Bulletin Board Retirement Party: Bob Fuller, Mario Ortega, Tom Porter, Bob Noriega, Bill Roster - April 4 New HIP Class for Men Only: "Locker Room Lectures" Stanford BeWell launches "Wellphone" New Stanford Weight Management Program starts in April - STAP eligible Register Now for Spring HIP Classes News (see all \| submit) How Aztecs Did the Math Science Gravitational Wave Detectors to get Major Upgrade New Scientist
		Flea Market Linear Café Menu Employee Milestones Search the Archives Subscribe non-SLAC e-mail Send Us Your Feedback

<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %> View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.


	Friday - April 4, 2008