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Updates & Announcements

January-July 2025 Operating Schedule Announced

The operating schedule for the 2025-1 cycle (January-July 2025) has been posted. The next long shutdown will begin in January 2025 and is expected to last 11 weeks. The most up-to-date information on the current schedule and future outlook can always be found on the Operating Schedule web page. Read more »

ALS Establishes Code of Conduct

The ALS stands committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and professional environment that upholds its core values, supporting scientific discovery and discourse. In November, we adopted a Code of Conduct to ensure these principles are upheld for all ALS community members. Read more »

Vote for New UEC Members: Term Starting in 2025

The Advanced Light Source Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) invites you to vote in the election of five new UEC members: four regular members and one student member. The elected members will begin their terms on January 1, 2025, with regular members serving three years and the student member serving two years. Voting deadline: Wednesday, December 4, by 11:59 p.m. PST. Read more »

The ALS Releases New Version of Strategic Plan

The Advanced Light Source’s five-year strategic plan is now available, presenting our vision to be a premier synchrotron facility through team innovation and advanced technologies. Developed collaboratively with staff, partners, and users, the plan charts our course to deliver world-class capabilities with ALS-U and beyond, building on 2023 User Meeting science visioning workshops. Read more »

In Memoriam: Terry McAfee, Senior Scientific Engineering Associate

The ALS community is saddened to lose Terry McAfee, who was a caring and hardworking presence since he started coming to the facility as a graduate student. From ALS user to full-time staff, he always strove to create a welcoming environment. We will remember his passion for STEM and his love for his family. Read more »

David Shapiro Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society

David Shapiro has been elected as a 2024 Fellow of the American Physical Society. The Council of Representatives recognizes him “for pioneering work in the development of the lensless diffractive imaging method, x-ray ptychography, and the scientific use of this imaging technique for important energy, chemical, materials, magnetic, physics, and biological uses.”

Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Window to Open in October

Applications for the next round of ALS Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellowships are due November 1 for a start date of May 1, 2025. Fellows spend a year in residence at the ALS pursuing research projects in teams that include staff and the user community, and are exposed to current scientific challenges that can be tackled using advanced synchrotron radiation tools. Read more »

Reports from 2023 Science Visioning Workshops Published

The compiled reports from four ALS science visioning workshops held in 2023 are now published. The document reflects the user and broader scientific communities’ viewpoints on how the ALS’s science portfolio should evolve into the 2030s and where investments will be needed to realize the vision. Read more »

September 4 Deadline for General User Proposals—New Proposal Writing Guidelines!

Starting August 14, the User Office will accept new General User Proposals (GUPs) from scientists who wish to conduct research at the ALS in the 2025-1 (January–July) cycle. The deadline for submissions is September 4, 2024. We will publish new proposal writing guidelines by August 14, so please read the new guidelines before submitting a proposal. Applicants are reminded that they may request joint access to the Molecular Foundry, a nanoscience user facility at Berkeley Lab, to support their ALS activities. Read more »