Dear staff and users,
I am writing to provide important updates on ALS proposal cycles, the ALS Upgrade (ALS-U) project timeline, and upcoming leadership changes for the ALS and ALS-U.
As previously planned, proposals will be accepted in January 2025 for Approved Program (AP) proposals and in March 2025 for general user proposals. However, the dark time is expected to shift due to an anticipated revision to the ALS-U project timeline.
Consequently, we anticipate two additional sets of proposal calls, in the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Our current planning assumption is that dark time will be delayed by approximately one year, and will begin summer of 2027. We will be working to maximize user beamtime to the extent possible until the dark time begins and will keep you informed.
Although ALS-U project construction has made considerable progress, challenges have arisen regarding cost and timeline. Over the past few weeks, leadership from Berkeley Lab, the ALS, and ALS-U have been partnering with DOE to understand how best to ensure the project stays on a path to successful completion while continuing to support the critical research conducted by ALS users.
Three leadership transitions, effective January 1, 2025, will guide the ALS and ALS-U projects through a critical phase, with Dave Robin focusing on R&D, Andreas Scholl serving as interim ALS director, and me serving as interim ALS-U project director.
Dave Robin, the current ALS-U project director, will transition to a new role focusing on R&D for the ALS beyond ALS-U. His work will include both near- and long-term accelerator and insertion-device enhancements to optimize the ALS’s capabilities. We thank Dave for the pivotal contributions he has made in advancing the ALS upgrade, from shaping the early case and design starting in 2005 to overseeing the upgrade’s design and construction over the past eight years.
I will serve as interim ALS-U project director until new leadership is identified, at which point I will return to my role as ALS director. I am honored to lead the ALS-U project during this critical time, bringing my experience in managing large-scale, complex scientific initiatives. My prior role at the European Spallation Source involved securing €2B for construction, establishing the structure for the €350M instrument project, and contributing to project management and stakeholder relations.
During this period, Andreas Scholl will take on the role of interim ALS director. Andreas has been a key member of the ALS team since 1998, contributing to its science strategy, management, and operations. As a previous beamline scientist at 11.0.1.1 and current science deputy since 2019, he has overseen the science strategy and been a critical advisor to me on numerous staffing, budget, and resource prioritization issues over the last year that I’ve been in the ALS director role. Last month Andreas was also honored with the 2024 Lab Director’s Stewardship Award for his strategic vision and contributions to x-ray instrumentation and ALS stewardship during the pandemic. I am confident in his ability to guide the ALS during this transition.
Through this time of change, we remain committed to providing world-class science capabilities and continuing the ALS’s role as a global leader in synchrotron science. Together, we will help the world’s researchers advance science and address national needs for decades to come.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular updates if you haven’t already. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Andreas with any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Dimitri Argyriou