Research results from Synchrotron Radiation and Free Electron Lasers are groundbreaking in many scientific fields. Europe has achieved global leadership in this field. From 2025 onwards, for the next three years it will be the SOLARIS Centre, as a part of Jagiellonian University, that will give direction to the LEAPS consortium of European light sources.
During the General Assembly meeting of the LEAPS consortium (The League of European Accelerator-based-Photon Sources) held on 19 December 2023, the candidacy of Dr Jakub Szlachetko, Director of the JU SOLARIS Centre, was voted on for appointment to the Board of Directors for three years and to serve as President in 2025.
The LEAPS (The League of European Accelerator-based-Photon Sources) is a partnership of synchrotron centres and research facilities that use free-electron lasers. The consortium includes 16 European facilities. These facilities serve a very broad scientific community of more than 30,000 researchers in Europe and attract some of the brightest minds worldwide. They span many countries, facilitating multinational collaborations, and support a spectrum of disciplines that encompass fundamental and applied sciences, and innovative industrial applications. They provide answers to key societal challenges in areas such as health, the environment and energy. They educate the next generation of scientists, engineers and facility managers and administrators, and contribute strongly to the competitiveness of European industry and thus create jobs.
LEAPS strives to improve the technologies used by light source accelerators and refine experimental techniques, detectors, as well as control and measurement systems.
'The chairmanship of LEAPS is related to the management and supervision of priority tasks in areas of relevance to all synchrotron centres, with particular emphasis on the introduction of innovative technological solutions, implementation of priority programmes of the European Union and enabling innovative research projects for several hundred universities in Europe. The mission of SOLARIS within the LEAPS structures in the years of our presidency will certainly be to emphasise activities aimed at broadening the community in Central and Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on projects targeting the Ukrainian research community. From our perspective, it will also be important to monitor transnational access processes (eng. TNA) addressed to large research infrastructures, which we intend to implement within the framework of a new international project called NEPHEWS', said Dr Jakub Szlachetko.
'An extremely important aspect that cannot be overlooked is the coincidence of our presidency of LEAPS with the Polish presidency of the European Union. This is an excellent opportunity to build and develop scientific diplomacy at Community level. Leading the preparatory work for the dedicated activities of the LEAPS consortium, as well as coordinating and maintaining constant communication with the authorities at the EU level will certainly become one of the milestones of our LEAPS presidency', added Dr Szlachetko.
SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre built up multifaceted cooperation with many international entities. Among them, there are consortia associating European synchrotron facilities (LEAPS), specialised laboratories (CERIC), as well as intercontinental web platforms (LIGHTSOURCES.ORG and WAYFORLIGHT.EU). The main goal of the implemented activities is to represent Polish science on the forum of the major research infrastructure organisations. SOLARIS employees work closely with the best synchrotrons and research units in the world; they consult the beamlines design, benefit from the experience of foreign centres, establish scientific cooperation and participate in trainings.
Source: SOLARIS website
