Two leaders from Argonne National Laboratory, Elmie Peoples-Evans and Mark Erdmann, are joining the Advanced Light Source (ALS-U) project leadership team. Peoples-Evans will serve as the ALS-U project manager, and Erdmann will assume the role of technical project manager for facility integration and installation.
They join an established leadership group that includes Interim Project Director Dimitri Argyriou; current Project Manager and Technical Director Matthaeus Leitner; Chief Engineer Fabrice Matichard; and Deputy Director for Operations Andrew Netto.
Since October 2024, Matthaeus Leitner has served in multiple ALS-U capacities, including project manager, technical director, and lead for the rebaseline project. With the arrival of Peoples-Evans, he can now fully focus on his responsibilities as technical director, including leading the rebaselining of the ALS-U project.
Erdmann will oversee all activities required to replace the accelerator with two new ones. This role is currently held by Engineering Director Daniela Leitner, and has been since the project’s inception in 2016. Daniela Leitner will also continue to support the project as Division Director for Engineering, as approximately 50% of the ALS-U project staff are from this division. We thank both Matthaeus and Daniela for their leadership and dedication in bringing the project to its current stage.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Elmie and Mark to the ALS-U project’s leadership team,” said Dimitri Argyriou, interim ALS-U project director and ALS director (on leave). “Their addition to the team brings precisely the kind of experience and realism we need as we enter the most complex and critical phase of our project. Having successfully delivered the APS Upgrade, Elmie and Mark will contribute invaluable insights and leadership that will strengthen our project management, help us navigate our greatest challenges, and ensure the success of this transformative ALS upgrade, enabling new science with real impact for society.”
The ALS-U project will increase the brightness of the light by more than 100 times that of the current facility, harnessing world-leading scientific capabilities and serving national interests in advancing breakthroughs in science and technology.
“I’m incredibly excited to join the ALS-U project leadership team at such a pivotal moment for the facility,” said Peoples-Evans. “It’s a privilege to be welcomed by such a talented and experienced group, and I’m deeply honored by the opportunity to help guide this exceptional team. Most of all, I’m inspired by the groundbreaking scientific capabilities that ALS-U will unlock. This upgrade will empower research and open new frontiers for the scientific community for decades to come,” she added.
Peoples-Evans studied electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and holds master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Northwestern University and in business administration from the University of Chicago. She joined the APS-U project as operations manager in 2012, later became deputy manager, and has served as project manager since April 2022. Her expertise and more than 10 years of project management experience span operations, technical coordination, and large-scale project management.
“I am thrilled to become part of the ALS-U project team at Berkeley Lab and honored to contribute to another undertaking of this magnitude. The ALS has been at the forefront of photon science for many years, enabling transformative discoveries and fostering innovation, and with the upgraded machine, we will continue this leadership. I am eager to use the knowledge gained from the APS-U and apply it to this new challenge,” said Erdmann.
Erdmann studied superconducting technologies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience with the APS. His work has ranged from beamline installation to key contributions in building the new storage ring, giving him a deep understanding of accelerator systems and facility integration.