Chi-Chang's Corner

With NSLS Budgets Finalized, Upgrades Should Continue as Planned

October 1, 2007

Chi-Chang Kao
NSLS Department Chair
kao@bnl.gov

Archives:
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007

The 2008 fiscal year budget plan will be completed shortly. Unfortunately, because scientific appropriations bills have yet to go through Congress, it looks like we'll be facing a Continuing Resolution again this year. However, we've made the appropriate provisions for that situation and it won't stop us from carrying out the major upgrade programs outlined in the Five-Year Plan. Those include a new undulator-based small-angle scattering beamline at X9, the X13A soft x-ray magnetic scattering end station, and the X17A side station for high-energy x-ray scattering. Additional projects are being prepared and will be launched once the budget is resolved.

The reliability of both the X-ray and VUV-IR rings in FY07 exceeded 95 percent, an important target we set for ourselves. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the staff in the Accelerator & Operations and Experimental Systems Divisions for this accomplishment, and acknowledge the enormous effort they put forth to work out the problems encountered because of the new organization and staff transition.

I would also like to remind NSLS users to complete the End-of-Run Form and thank those who have been consistently doing so. The form has been simplified significantly so it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. We have also put a mechanism in place to ensure your input is addressed in a timely fashion. We've already seen an increase in response over last year: 360 forms were turned in during FY07 compared to about 240 in FY07. The feedback you provide is very important for us to serve you better.

There's been much concern about the attire and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements on the NSLS experiment floor. An NSLS task force has now met twice on the matter, and we also have a voice in a lab-wide task force. The BNL task force provided recommendations concerning attire needed for tour groups and the general long-sleeve shirt requirement. Clarification on these issues is expected from BNL management soon. The NSLS task force also is working on a task-specific analysis of PPE requirements. We will continue to keep you informed of our progress. But until then, please remember that long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and closed-toe shoes are required for entrance to the NSLS experimental floor.

We now have the final report from the Integrated Safety Management (ISM) audit held in August. Although we fared well overall, the report notes deficiencies in management of the wet chemistry set-up laboratories around the experiment floor, an issue we also have identified. Our use and management of those areas has needed attention for some time: much space is wasted and operations in the laboratories are not well controlled. We will focus on improving this issue during the next few months; however, it will be difficult because a significant part of the problem involves dedication of more personnel time to oversee these areas. We are looking at the Lab Steward program to determine where improvements can be made, and we may need to change personnel assignments or consolidate operations to fewer laboratories to allow for sufficient oversight. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email ESH/Q Manager Andrew Ackerman.

In FY08, we are planning to conduct a series of reviews with help from the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). These include the triennial beamline reviews as well as a new series of cross-cutting, science-based evaluations of NSLS research fields. The latter will analyze specific scientific fields, such as soft materials or magnetism, to determine what areas within the fields are most exciting to pursue at the NSLS and at NSLS-II. This exercise should greatly help us in updating the Five-Year Plan and in transitioning to the new facility.

On the science front, a team of Brookhaven researchers used NSLS beamlines X7B and U2A to develop new ways to make or modify nanorods and nanotubes of titanium oxide, a material used in a variety of industrial and medical applications. Their findings could lead to improved catalysts for hydrogen production, more efficient solar cells, and more protective sunscreens. You can read more about their research in this issue of eNews.

Finally, thanks for making this year's Light Sources Directorate Annual Awards Barbeque another great event. Congrats to this year's many Service and Spotlight Awards winners.