STFC strengthens ongoing links with XFEL collaboration

Professor John Wood (left) receives award from German Ambassador, Georg
Boomgaarden (right)

Professor John Wood, former Chief Executive of one of STFC’s predecessor councils, CCLRC (Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils), has been awarded the Officers’ Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The award, which was received by Professor Wood at an event held at the German Embassy on 21 July, recognised his part in facilitating the complex international negotiations surrounding the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Project (XFEL). (Read the full story (link opens in a new window)).

In 2009, STFC was not in a position to sign up to the international convention for XFEL due to the economic climate, despite being supportive of its aims.  However, there was a wish for the UK and Germany to explore ways in which the two countries could work together in this field.  One step to further this has been to agree a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between STFC and European XFEL GmbH for scientific collaboration. The MoU was signed on 27 July 2010 and the collaboration starts with two projects, one in the field of detectors and the second in data acquisition.  The two organisations will also continue to explore the potential for expanding their collaboration.

Notes to editors

Contact

• Wendy Taylor
  STFC Press Officer
  Daresbury Laboratory
  Tel: +44 (0)1925 603 232

European X-ray Laser Project (XFEL)

Currently under construction in Hamburg, Germany, from 2014 the European XFEL will generate extremely intense X-ray flashes that will be used by researchers all over the world.  With ultrashort X-rays flashing 27,000 times per second and a brilliance that is a billion times higher than that of the best conventional X-ray radiation sources, scientists will be able to map the atomic details of viruses, take three dimensional pictures of the nanoworld, film chemical reactions and study processes that occur deep within planets, to name a few examples.

As well as with STFC, European XFEL has also established collaboration with Professor Matthew Wing from the Department of Physics at University College London working on the control hardware at the interface between detectors and the data acquisition system. (View full details (link opens in a new window)).

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