June 22-25, 2004

NSLS EXAFS Data Collection and Analysis Short-Course “Graduates” 32 students

A hands-on EXAFS Data Collection and Analysis Short-Course was held June 22-25, 2004 at the NSLS. The course was co-organized by Bruce Ravel (Naval Research Laboratory) and Simon Bare (UOP LLC), with excellent administrative support by Lisa Tranquada (SFA, Inc.) and Melissa Abramowitz from User Administration.

Thirty-two eager participants (graduate students, postdocs, and institution and industrial scientists), representing universities, national laboratories, research institutes, and industry, attended the four-day course.

Among the 32 participants, 15 were new users to the NSLS. The participants had diverse research interests across a broad spectrum of scientific fields, including materials science, geological and environmental sciences, catalysis, and biology.

The four-day course was divided into morning lectures, with two afternoons of hands-on data collection using seven different NSLS spectroscopy beamlines (X9B, X11A, X11B, X18B, X19A, X23B, and X26A), and two afternoons of data analysis. The instructors on the beamlines were Faisal Alamgir, Wolfgang Caliebe, Scott Calvin, Syed Khalid, Tony Lanzirotti, Nebojsa Marinkovic, and Kaumudi Pandya.

The eight morning lectures were: “Introduction to XAFS” and “Basics of Sample Preparation” by Matt Newville (CARS, University of Chicago), “XANES Measurements and Interpretation” by Simon Bare (UOP LLC), “Detectors and Synchrotron Radiation” by Peter Siddons (BNL), “Basics of Data Processing” by Scott Calvin (Sarah Lawrence College), “A Practical Introduction to Multiple Scattering Theory” by Bruce Ravel (Naval Research Laboratory), “Introduction to Data Analysis” by Shelly Kelly (Argonne National Laboratory), and “Incorporating XAFS into a Research Program” by Vince Harris (Northeastern University). The morning lectures included ample time for stimulating questions and discussion.

For the first two afternoons the participants were divided up into small groups in order to spend time on the NSLS floor at an EXAFS beamline. There, they learned first hand how to collect high quality EXAFS data. Each student became familiar with beamline operation and sample preparation while collecting EXAFS data on representative samples from their own individual research projects. It was fascinating to see the diverse array of samples and projects in which EXAFS was being used.

During the last two afternoons the participants learned EXAFS data analysis techniques using the data they had collected the prior two days. The participants enjoyed informal discussions during coffee breaks, lunches, and the dinners that were included in the course fee.

There was a tremendous amount of information disseminated over the four days. All the participants left the course with new friends and armed with the basic tools to apply x-ray absorption spectroscopy to their own research programs. The organizers thank all those who made the course the great success that it was!

We plan to offer the course again in 2005. Please check the NSLS website for updated information.

The course was sponsored by the NSLS, with support from the Center for Environmental Molecular Science at SUNY Stony Brook.

RELATED LINKS: Workshop Website

ARTICLE BY: Simon Bare, UOP LLC

PHOTO BY: Roger Stoutenburgh