The Cheiron School's main aim is to provide useful and basic knowledge as well as perspectives of synchrotron radiation science and technology for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, young scientists and engineers who wish to pursue their career in a field requiring synchrotron radiation and join a synchrotron radiation facility in the Asia Oceania region.

The Australian Synchrotron is proud to host the 9th Asia-Oceania Forum for Synchrotron Radiation Research (AOFSRR 2015), in conjunction with User Meeting 2015.

The two meetings will be held jointly across three days, on 25-27 November, at the Australian Synchrotron’s award winning National Centre for Synchrotron Science in Melbourne.

AOFSRR 2015 brings together the synchrotron community across the region, and the organisers are pleased to welcome speakers and delegates from each of the Asia-Oceania Forum member countries. The annual User Meeting will again showcase the best research from home, and update the user community on the latest techniques and application developments.

With special topic: Phenix

The Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF) is pleased to announce an intensive 5-day hands-on synchrotron data collection school at the Canadian Light Source. Participants will attend a series of lectures and be actively engaged in macromolecular crystallography (Mx) data collection at CMCF beamlines. Completing the school will enable participants to make effective use of the beamlines remotely and will better equip participants to collect diffraction data on-site. This year's invited speaker is Dr. Paul Adams from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. He will guide participants through an in-depth look at using Phenix during structure solution. Participants should have a basic grounding in crystallography prior to attending the course. Given enough interest, an optional introductory review will be offered on Monday, June 1.

This school is designed to help introduce graduate students to the capabilities available at the neutron and x-ray user facilities in the United States and Canada. Lectures, presented by researchers from academia, industry, and national laboratories, include basic tutorials on the principles of neutron and X-ray scattering theory, the characteristics of neutron and synchrotron X-ray sources, as well as seminars on the application of scattering methods to a variety of scientific subjects.

The primary goal of this workshop is to teach participants Rietveld refinement methods for evaluating 3D crystal structures from 1D powder diffraction data, with an emphasis on data collected on "high-resolution" structural user facility beamlines such as the 11-BM synchrotron beamline at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, or the POWGEN and NOMAD time-of-flight neutron diffraction beamlines at the Spallation Neutron Source of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

SyncLight 2015, the São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences (ESPCA) on Recent Developments in Synchrotron Radiation will be held at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source (LNLS) in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, between July 13-24, 2015.

SyncLight 2015 will bring graduate students and young postdoctoral researchers from Brazil and from many other countries together. The school is sponsored by the São Paulo State’s Research Foundation (FAPESP)and organized jointly by the LNLS and the American Physical Society (APS). The instructors are selected from currently active and leading researchers around the world.

Application of synchrotron tools

Plant & Agricultural Science

Researchers of plants and agricultural science who are interested in studying the structure and molecular composition of plants and plant related products are the target audience for this theme. The school will prepare participants for basic application of synchrotron techniques and provide practical experiences. The school will include exercises in proposal writing, sample preparation, data collection, interpretation and visualization. Participants will also get hands-on training using their own samples with different experimental stations at the Canadian Light Source (infrared, soft X-ray, and hard X-rays beamlines).

Art, Art History & Cultural Heritage

Scientists will have the opportunity to learn capabilities of synchrotron technology and how they can further research in the fields of archaeology, art culture anthropology, and paleontology. Participants will be introduced to synchrotron radiation, applicable techniques and examples of research already being done in Canada and around the world. Participants will get hands-on experience at two experimental stations. Participants are encouraged to bring their own sample to use in practical exercises. Faculty at Canadian institutions of higher learning in relevant fields of study as well as staff at Canadian museums are encouraged to apply.

Conference Topics

• Electrochemistry/physics/chemistry of solid/liquid interfaces
• Metal, oxide, thin film and mineral surfaces
• Liquid/gas and solid/liquid interfaces
• Biosensors and surface functionalization
• Polymer and carbon surfaces, interfaces and devices
• Catalytic and environmental studies
• Structure and chemistry of domain interfaces and grain boundaries
• Nanomaterials and nanopatterning
• Scanning probe and high resolution electron microscopy
• Surface analysis using synchrotron techniques
• Optical spectroscopy of surfaces
• Ion beam analysis and modification
• Other relevant surface studiesÂ

Celebrating the International Year of Light

The workshop will focus on the following subjects:

-Manufacturing of high precision optical elements with synchrotron based lithography

-Material science with synchrotron radiation and neutron scattering offering for example characterisation of residual stresses in various components

-Macromolecular protein crystallography at our MX-beamlines

Presentations by industrial users and researchers will be given at Berlin Adlershof. The one day workshop is free of charge to the participants. A tour into the experimental hall of the synchrotron is possible if wanted.Â

The 17th Annual National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering will be held at Argonne and Oak Ridge National Labs from June 13-27, 2015.
This school is designed to help introduce graduate students to the capabilities available at the neutron and x-ray user facilities in the United States. Lectures, presented by researchers from academia, industry, and national laboratories, include basic tutorials on the principles of neutron and x-ray scattering theory, the characteristics of neutron and synchrotron X-ray sources, as well as seminars on the application of scattering methods to a variety of scientific subjects. Â As part of the school, students also conduct a series of short experiments to provide some hands-on experience using instruments at neutron and synchrotron sources, at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source, and Oak Ridge's Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor facilities.
Students interested in attending should complete an application at http://neutrons.ornl.gov/nxs/ by February 23, 2015.
Please note that all the travel and lodging costs for students accepted to attend will be covered as part of the school. Â Part of the application process includes submission of evaluation letters from among the student's advisor, department chair and other professors.
Lecture notes and videos of the 2014 NXS School are available at: http://neutrons.ornl.gov/conf/nxs2013/

The thirteenth International Conference on Electron Spectroscopy and Structure: ICESS-15, will be held in Stony Brook, New York, Sept 28th to bring together some 400 people interested in the properties of electrons and their interactions in systems ranging from atoms and molecules to complex condensed matter materials. Specific topics fordiscussion will include Atomic and Molecular Science, Photochemistry, Quantum Materials, Imaging Spectroscopies, Novel Instrumentation, and Nanomaterials.

Electronic structure is one of the fundamental properties of matter, and as such has been the subject of scientific investigation for more than a century. Â However the last two decades have witnessed important new discoveries in all areas ranging from the atomic level through to that of complex materials. Â There have also been significant developments in new methods, both theoretical and experimental, for investigating these properties. Â Â New experimental techniques have often evolved at the large scale facilities and by 2015 it is anticipated that the new state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation source at BNL, the NSLS II will be operational. Â It is anticipated that attendees will have the opportunity to tour this important facility.

Â

Â

After the successful conference on Synchrotron Radiation in Polymer Science (SRPS) in San Francisco (USA) in 2012, we are now looking forward to the next meeting in this topical series started in 1995 by H.G. Zachmann. Earlier meetings were held in Hamburg (1995), Sheffield (2002), Kyoto (2006), Rolduc (2009) and San Francisco (2012). We are now  organising the Synchrotron Radiation in Polymer Science VI conference in 2015. The meeting will take place in Madrid, Spain from Sept. 7-10, 2015. The conference is expected to accommodate a significant amount of oral contributions as well as extended poster sessions.

LCLS-II will provide revolutionary opportunities for addressing Grand Challenge questions from the level of electrons and atoms to the long-range, mesoscopic to macroscopic properties that emerge. These opportunities arise from the unprecedented combination of high-repetition rate, photon energy range, short pulse duration and high coherence of LCLS-II.

Material Physics Workshop ​9-10 February 2015

Invited Speakers:

• Peter Abbamonte - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Â
• John Hill*Â - Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Theo Rasing - Radboud University Â
• Oleg Shpyrko - University of California, San DiegoÂ
• Thomas Russell - University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Justin Wark -Â University of Oxford
  

Life Science Workshop 10-11 February 2015Â

Invited Speakers:

• Wah Chiu - Baylor College of MedicineÂ
• David Eisenberg - UCLA
• Robert Stroud - University of California San FranciscoÂ
• Todd Yeates* - UCLAÂ (not yet confirmed)
• George Phillips - Rice UniversityÂ
• Dmitri Svergun - European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg
  

Chemistry Workshop 12-13Â February 2015

Invited Speakers:

• Reinhard Dörner - Goethe University FrankfurtÂ
• Harry Gray - Cal Tech
• Jon Marangos - Imperial College LondonÂ
• Robert Schlögl - Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck SocietyÂ
• Villy Sundstrom - Lund University
• Mike Wasielewski* -Â Northwestern (not yet confirmed)

ICXOM23 will bring together scientists in the fields of X-ray microanalysis and those involved in optical instrumentation developments which will extend the reach of microanalysis. Although synchrotron radiation will be at the heart of the conference, since electron microscopy offers a different view of materials, the conference also welcomes contributions of recent developments in that field.

Topics Include

• Optics for microanalysis
• Scanning microscopy
• Full-field imaging
• Coherent Imaging
• PEEM
• Electron microscopy
• Microdiffraction
• Data analysis
• Detectors

We will hold an Early Science Workshop on Wednesday-Thursday, January, 28-29, 2015, pertaining to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - sponsored Advanced Beamlines for Biological Investigations with X-rays (ABBIX) Project. These three state-of-the-art beamlines are now under construction at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS)-II facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Two of the beamlines are for macromolecular crystallography (MX), and the third is for life sciences applications of X-ray scattering. The MX beamline called FMX â€" Frontier MX â€" is optimized to address microbeam applications, and the other called AMX â€" Highly Automated MX â€" is optimized for highly automated throughput. The scattering beamline, called LIX â€" High Brightness X-Ray Scattering for Life Sciences â€" will offer multiple modes of study. The MX beamlines view canted undulator sources, and the scattering beamline views a single undulator, providing world-leading brightness.

The workshop will consist of both plenary and parallel sessions. The plenary session will begin with presentations on science topics in research fields that the beamlines are designed to address, followed by facility presentations to update the community about the early scientific capabilities at the suite of ABBIX beamlines and, in addition, of the Life Science and Biomedical Technology Research Resource (LSBR), sponsored by the NIH and the Department of Energy Office of Biological and Environmental Research (DOE BER). Two parallel sessions on Wednesday afternoon will focus on MX and X-ray scattering, consisting mainly of presentations that will address specific opportunities in these areas. These will be followed by two more parallel sessions on Thursday morning, also focusing on MX and X-ray scattering, consisting mainly of contributions. If you wish to give a contributed presentation during one of the parallel sessions, please submit an abstract.

The parallel sessions are designed to provide forums to facilitate more detailed discussions about potential first experiments at specific beamlines and the formation of the experiment teams. Specifically, each parallel session group will be charged to:  ​​​​​​​​​​

• ​​​Identify key research projects and the associated first experiments that may be performed at the suite of ABBIX beamlines, emphasizing those projects that will take advantage of NSLS-II properties and ABBIX beamline capabilities.
• Facilitate the formation of research teams to generate first experiment proposals for submission.
• Identify key additional team members in such areas as theory and analysis, ancillary measurements, and specimen preparation, needed to achieve the research goals.

Confirmed invited speakers:Â Karen Allen (Boston Univ), Martin Caffrey (Trinity College Dublin), Wayne Hendrickson (Columbia Univ), Andre Hoelz (California Inst Tech), Shenping Liu (Pfizer), Lee Makowski (Northeastern Univ), Anna-Marie Pyle (Yale Univ), Christian Riekel (ESRF), Thomas Schneider (EMBL-Hamburg), John Tainer (Scripps Research Inst), Da-Neng Wang (New York Univ), Michael Wiener (Univ Virginia).

The expected outcome from this workshop is two-fold: (a) a concise workshop report outlining how ABBIX beamlines will help to address outstanding problems in life sciences, and (b) a list of potential first experiments along with the corresponding research teams.

Organizers:

Lonny Berman
ABBIX Project Manager
Photon Sciences Directorate
Brookhaven National LaboratoryÂ

Sean McSweeney
Associate Photon Division Director for Structural Biology Program
Photon Sciences Directorate
Brookhaven National Laboratory

BioStruct-X (www.biostruct-x.eu) is an integrated project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission for transnational access to biological synchrotron X-ray radiation facilities. The BioStruct-X consortium coordinated by EMBL-Hamburg has 19 partners from 11 EU member and associated states providing integrated access via 42 installations in four key areas: macromolecular X-ray crystallography, small angle X-ray scattering, X-ray imaging, protein production and high-throughput crystallisation. In addition to the transnational access, BioStruct-X partners are involved in joint research activities aimed at novel developments in synchrotron instrumentation, automation of the experiment and high-throughput software services.

The X-ray based structural biology activities supported in BioStruct-X are core technologies used in many pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The workshop will promote the exchange of knowledge and approaches, either available or being established, between BioStruct-X consortium and industrial partners.

The Workshop will take place at the premises of the DESY synchrotron facility in Hamburg operating the presently world brightest storage ring PETRA III. A tour to the biological beamlines running at PETRA III will be included in the program. There will be a poster session and ample advertizing possibilities for the companies.

The Hamburg Unit of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory is organizing a BioStruct-X Industrial Workshop, to take place on the DESY Synchrotron Campus in Hamburg from June 15-17, 2015. BioStruct-X (www.biostruct-x.eu) is an integrated project funded by the FP7 of the European Commission to support access for key methods in structural biology utilizing synchrotron radiation.

Further information about the workshop, including its program, organizers, registration and abstract submission are available at:

http://www.biostruct-x.eu/industry_workshop2015

We look forward to welcoming you to the workshop!