Notes from the UEC

NSLS-II is Closer Than You Think!

August 2, 2007

Dan Fischer
UEC Chair
NIST
dfischer@nist.gov

Archives:
March 2008
November 2007
August 2007
April 2007

The past three months have been very exciting for the NSLS user community. The NSLS and Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) Users Executive Committees held a very successful joint user meeting, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the CFN on May 23. Very recently, many of you attended the first NSLS-II User Workshop, where Pat Dehmer announced that NSLS-II had reached CD-1 status. This important milestone officially validates that BNL will be the site for NSLS-II. The preliminary schedule calls for construction to begin in FY 2009 and operations to begin in FY 2015. Those of you who attended the workshop also participated in multiple breakout sessions targeted to help define the six facility beamlines to be constructed within the NSLS-II project budget. Science-based breakout sessions were held as well, as a prelude to a proposal process to bring many more NSLS-II beamlines into the planning stage.

With NSLS-II operations only eight years away, it behooves every current user of the NSLS to consider how to make the most of the NSLS-II opportunity. This could mean partnership at many levels; let your imagination be the only thing that limits you! That said, one of the biggest and most important areas to consider is the transition from NSLS to NSLS-II. What will it mean for your research program? Get involved and make a difference. More than 400 people attended the NSLS-II workshop, and that was wonderful, however there are more than 2,000 NSLS users who will be affected by the transition plan. So if you have not started talking or even thinking about transition planning, now might be a good time! It is anticipated that a number of the existing NSLS beamlines and or endstations may transferable to NSLS-II and it is very important to consider NSLS-II in all of our investments here at NSLS. I know from personal experience that the NSLS and NSLS-II staff would be happy to hear from you and discuss your strategic planning objectives. For example, NIST, as an investing partner in the transition process, is already working closely with the NSLS (I/II) to make the most of our new American Competitiveness Initiative funding to have the greatest benefit for our joint NSLS-II future. As UEC chair, my door is always open. Please drop me a note if you think I can help get your NSLS-II dreams off the ground.

Have a great summer.