Industry and university researchers used the ALS to explore why the platinum used as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells degrades unevenly. The resulting knowledge has enabled the development of simple, effective strategies to reduce the waste of precious catalyst material, lowering the costs associated with a promising green technology. Read more »
ALSNews Vol. 433
December 8, 2021
Unexpected Transformations Reinforce Roman Architectural Concrete
Researchers used the ALS to study binding phases in Roman architectural concrete, revealing reactions and profound transformations that contribute to long-term cohesion and durability. The findings add to our growing understanding of cementing processes in Roman concretes, informing resilient materials of the future. Read more »
DNA Synthesis: Flip It and Reverse It
What if the current model for DNA synthesis were flipped on its head? Using time-resolved x-ray crystallography, researchers gained new insights into this essential biological process, revealing that two steps in the synthesis pathway are, in reality, reversed. Read more »
How Iron Remediates Arsenic in Groundwater
Though iron has been demonstrated as an effective means to remediate arsenic contamination in groundwater, the mechanism was not well understood until now. For the first time, researchers have untangled the detailed steps of the interaction, informing more robust strategies for cleanup. Read more »
Alyssa Brand, Chemical Safety Specialist
Alyssa Brand recently joined the ALS safety team. She’s not new to the Lab—she previously worked at the Molecular Foundry and in the EH&S Division. She is excited to join the ALS and learn more about all the science going on here. Read more »
Update on Long-Term Operating Schedule
The operating schedule for the 2022-1 cycle has been published. The next long shutdown is expected to begin in January 2022 and last until mid-March. In the second cycle of 2022, we expect to have a total of eight weeks of shutdown time. 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 »
On-Site Access Procedures for Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals who are planning to conduct experiments at the ALS should plan their visits at least two months in advance. The ALS website has the latest information on lead times and documentation required to process site access. Read more »
New UEC Members for 2022
Welcome to Connor Bischak, Sharon Bone, Wendy Gu, Yu He, and Quentin Williams. Thank you to Alex Fraño, Clemens Heske, and Antoine Wojdyla for your service.
Kenneth Goldberg Named 2022 Optica Fellow
Kenneth Goldberg, a staff scientist at the ALS and with the ALS-U Project, has been elected a 2022 Fellow of Optica (formerly OSA). His recognition is “for seminal contributions to the development of x-ray optics for applications requiring coherent light.” Read more »
2021 Highly Cited Researchers
Clarivate recognizes the true pioneers in their fields over the last decade, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in the Web of Science™. Congratulations to Jinghua Guo, Zahid Hussain, Sung-Kwan Mo, and Wanli Yang! Read more »