Contact: Inna Vishik, UEC Chair
On behalf of the entire UEC, I would like to thank everyone who made the 2023 ALS User Meeting a success! Thank you to the attendees, the management team, the speakers and poster presenters, the exhibitors and sponsors, and to the organizers of plenary sessions, tutorials, and visioning workshops. I especially want to thank the communications team, the user office team, the logistics team, and the business office team at the ALS who ensured that everything came together and ran smoothly: Cindy Lee, Lori Tamura, Ina Reichel, Ashley White, Tracy Mattox, Andi Jones, Amanda Espiritu, Shawna Vila-Flores, Paris Gordon, Kristin Carillo, Celena Loredo, Heidi Clark, Andrea Taylor, Angela Setiadi, Anytra Henderson, Dolores Rohm, Mayra Rivas, and Sheena Ryan.
As our first in-person user meeting since 2019, there was a special energy that week. There were many opportunities to discuss science with old and new friends during breaks, meals, the reception, and scenic walks between events. The management team presented a fresh vision of the facility, and the science talks and posters illuminated the people and ideas that will drive the future. I want to particularly acknowledge those involved in visioning workshops—a brand new element this year: Ashley White who shepherded this great idea to fruition, the individual workshop organizers, the speakers who do not ordinarily attend the ALS user meeting, and all the participants who shared their ideas. And of course, the ALS user meeting has its quirky and creative components unlike any other user meeting: the life-size cutouts of lab notables both human and livestock (thanks Cindy!), the poster slam with enough energy and melody to keep you alert for three beamtime shifts (thanks Dula and Andrea!), and the color-changing commemorative mug for experimental verification of piping hot coffee (thanks Tracy!). I encourage you to check out the 2023 User Meeting Instagram highlight from @advancedlightsource for a recap of all the things that made this user meeting so unique and special.
If you attended the user meeting, please fill out this survey to share your own highlights and areas to improve. We are interested to know who our audience is and how we can deliver an even better user meeting next year.
Finally, if you are interested in making your voice heard, consider joining the UEC! Nomination submission is open now, and you are encouraged to self-nominate!
The UEC is available to help with the needs of the user community. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at alsuec@lbl.gov