October 5, 2023, marks 30 years since first light at the ALS. Over this time, the number of beamlines grew to more than 40, as many as 2,100 users have come to the facility each year, and over 16,000 publications have resulted from work here. Watch this space for special anniversary tidbits throughout the year. We’d also love to hear from you—please share your memories and see community submissions at this link! Read more »
ALSNews Vol. 452
October 4, 2023
2023 ALS User Meeting Returned On-Site to Focus on the Future
For the first time in four years, users, staff, and other members of the scientific community gathered in person for the ALS User Meeting. With a new ALS director in place, the 30th anniversary of first light a month away, and ALS-U construction well underway, the occasion was primed to discuss the long-term future of the facility. Read more »
How Structure Affects the Activity of Lipid Nanoparticles
Berkeley Lab and Genentech scientists related the internal structures of lipid nanoparticles to their efficacy at drug delivery, using a combination of methods including x-ray scattering at the ALS. The work promises to expedite the development of drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases such as COVID-19 and cancer. Read more »
Insight into How Thermoresponsive Nanomaterials Work
By combining soft x-ray scattering with electron microscopy, researchers learned how nanoscale polymer assemblies in solution restructure in response to heating. The approach can be generalized to many complex, solution-phase, nanoscale processes, and holds promise for driving advances in applications from drug delivery to catalysis. Read more »
A Deep-Learning Analysis of Lithium-Plating Dynamics in Batteries
Lithium-metal solid-state batteries are a promising technology, but the deposition (plating) of lithium metal on electrode surfaces remains a significant technical hurdle. Here, researchers used micro-computed tomography data to train an artificial intelligence model to identify characteristics vital to improving battery performance. Read more »
ALS Director Dimitri Argyriou Announces New Leadership Structure
Having seen the success of the interim leadership structure since assuming the ALS directorship in July, Dimitri Argyriou is pleased to announce that Ashley White’s role as interim deputy for strategy is now permanent, and Andreas Scholl’s position as deputy for science will have new responsibilities. Fernando Sannibale and Steve Rossi will continue in their roles as deputy for accelerator operations and deputy for business operations, respectively. Read more »
Lori Tamura Receives 2023 Tim Renner User Services Award
After 25 years of science writing at the ALS, Lori Tamura has a tried and true method for clearly communicating complex scientific concepts. With her care and skill, she has increased the impact and reach of results from ALS work, and the UEC has recognized that impact with the 2023 Tim Renner User Services Award. Read more »
Slavo Nemsak Receives 2023 Klaus Halbach Instrumentation Award
The ALS Users’ Executive Committee awarded the 2023 Klaus Halbach Award for Innovative Instrumentation to Slavo Nemsak for “the development of the state-of-the-art combined scattering and spectroscopy setup at ALS Beamline 11.0.2.” Read more »
September Call for 2022 and 2023 Publications
All publications resulting from work done in whole, or in part, at the ALS must be recorded by the User Office for the Department of Energy (DOE). Please help ensure our records are complete by reporting your ALS publications, especially those published in 2022 and 2023. Read more »
September 2023 Message from the UEC
UEC Chair Inna Vishik celebrates a successful user meeting and invites attendees to re-live the happy memories as well as share their thoughts in the survey. She also shares ways to get involved. Read more »