New Light Source Project
aiming for unique studies of microscopic motions in matter of all kinds
Organisation
Successful delivery of the NLS project requires clear science leadership, robust technical input and far-sighted strategic guidance. The organisation and management of the project has been developed to optimise all these aspects.
Professor Jon Marangos (Imperial College London) is the Project Leader. He is responsible for defining the scientific priorities for the project, and thus the primary functional requirements of the proposed facility. In this capacity he coordinates the project requirements from the Photon Science Research Institute (PSRI) champions and the wider scientific community. The Science Case for the NLS project has been determined by the widest possible input from the potential user community. This has been coordinated and prioritised by Professor Marangos working with members of the PSRI and leaders of the 4GLS project.
Project management will follow UK best practice and is the responsibility of Dr. Gregory Diakun; within STFC Professor Mike Dunne acts as the project customer,
with Professor John Womersley as project sponsor.
The detailed delivery of the project divides into three primary cost areas: the photon sources, the science instrumentation and the building and conventional facilities.
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Technical design work of the photon sources is led by Professor Richard Walker; the team comprises experts in STFC Accelerator Science and Technology Centre, STFC Photon Science Department, Diamond Light Source, the Cockcroft Institute, UK HEIs and international collaborations. Input also comes from community workshops, the science instrumentation needs and advisory bodies.
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The science instrumentation activity is led by Dr. Mark Roper and Dr. Andy Smith. Initially, this is a co-ordination activity to determine needs, evolving into more specific design and planning once the source solution is developed. Technical input will be from STFC Photon Science Department, UK HEIs, the prospective researchers exploiting NLS and international collaborations.
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In these early stages, the required input on conventional facilities is provided by ad hoc specialist groups drawn from the source and instrumentation teams and external consultants. In the first phase, this is the responsibility of the Project Manager; when appropriate, a conventional facilities leader will be appointed.
The overall process is overseen by the NLS Project Board which has representatives from the science community as well as from the facility providers (STFC and DLS). This body is responsible for ensuring openness, transparency and due process in decision making. It is chaired by Professor Tim Wess (Cardiff University), who is also member of STFC Science Board.
Decisions on the future phases of the NLS project will follow standard STFC and Department for Business Innovation and Skills, (BIS) procedures (including Gateway approval when required).
