Appointment – Lightsources.org

Jean Daillant starts as new DG of the ESRF

2024/09/022024/09/10

As the ESRF celebrates 30 years of science, the European synchrotron welcomes a new Director General: Jean Daillant. Appointed by the ESRF International Council, which brings together the 20 ESRF partner countries, Jean Daillant took up his new role of DG on 1st September.

Jean Daillant is a widely recognised expert on synchrotron radiation. A soft matter physicist, his expertise focuses on soft matter physics and liquid interface dynamics, delving into their intermolecular interactions and surface phenomena. Utilising advanced techniques like synchrotron X-ray and atomic force microscopy, he has analysed these systems at the nanoscale. His interest also extends to practical applications, particularly in nanomaterials synthesis through self-assembly.

Jean Daillant was Director General of the SOLEIL synchrotron over the last thirteen years, during which time it has become a leading facility among the medium-energy synchrotron radiation sources. After serving as Chair, he is now Vice-Chair of LEAPs, the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources, which aims to promote scientific excellence and strengthen the cooperation between synchrotron and X-ray free electron laser facilities to support an innovative and sustainable European Research Area.

He was a member of the ESRF Science Advisory Committee over the period 2003-2009 and headed SOLEIL’s Scientific Council between 2006 and 2010. After graduating in Physics at the École Normale Supérieure de St-Cloud, he joined the CEA in 1989, where he subsequently became Head of the Soft Matter and Interfaces Group before becoming joint director of LURE, the French national synchrotron light source in Orsay, from 1999 to 2003. In 2004, he became Head of the CEA-CNRS Laboratory LIONS for Interdisciplinary Research on Nanometric and Supramolecular Organisation, until 2011, at which time he took up the role of Director General at SOLEIL.

“The ESRF can be happy that in Jean Daillant we have a new Director General that brings both the science perspective of a user and, as the previous DG of SOLEIL, the strategic and management views that are needed to fully exploit the EBS”, says Elias Vlieg, chair of the ESRF Council. “The Council is looking forward to a fruitful collaboration with him and the other members of the management team in the coming years.”

Read more on ESRF website

Canadian Light Source appoints leading researcher as Chief Science Officer

2024/08/162024/08/21

The Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has appointed Dr. Ingrid Pickering as its new Chief Science Officer. A professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Molecular Environmental Science at USask, Pickering is appointed for a 5-year term.

With more than 225 peer-reviewed publications and 21,500 citations, Pickering leads a cross-disciplinary research team that uses and develops synchrotron techniques to investigate the roles and impact of essential and toxic elements in the environment and human health.

“We conducted a global search for the best scientist for this crucial role at this important juncture in the life of our facility, and I’m so pleased Ingrid will join us,” said Bill Matiko, CLS CEO. “She brings a unique combination of scientific prowess, a proven record of building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, expert familiarity with Canada’s funding ecosystem, and more than three decades of using synchrotron facilities.”

Pickering holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Imperial College London (UK). Following an industrial postdoctoral fellowship in New Jersey, US and an appointment at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California, she moved to USask in 2003.

Read more on CLS website

Image: Dr. Ingrid Pickering

The ESRF Council appoints next Director General

2023/11/302023/11/30

The ESRF Council has appointed Jean Daillant as the next Director General of the ESRF, the European Synchrotron.

A soft matter physicist, Jean Daillant has been Director General of the SOLEIL synchrotron since 2011. Under his guidance, SOLEIL has become a leading facility among the medium-energy synchrotron radiation sources. He is the current Chair of LEAPS, the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources, which aims to promote scientific excellence and strengthen the cooperation between synchrotron and X-ray free electron laser facilities to support an innovative and sustainable European Research Area. He also holds the role of Spokesperson of the Analytical Research Infrastructures in Europe (ARIE).

Jean Daillant will take over on 1 September 2024 from Francesco Sette, who, during a close to sixteen-year mandate, has overseen the implementation of the entire Upgrade Programme of the ESRF to become the world’s first and leading fourth-generation high-energy synchrotron radiation source.

“The Council extends a heartfelt welcome to Jean in his new role as Director General, and is looking forward to collaborating with him to steer the ESRF towards a bright future amidst challenging circumstances,” states Prof. Helmut Dosch, Chair of the ESRF Council.

Francesco Sette says: “I congratulate Jean on his appointment and welcome him on board on behalf of all of us at the ESRF. I wish him a lot of success in leading the ESRF in the years to come, keeping the facility at the forefront of X-ray science.”

Jean Daillant says: “I feel deeply honoured to be joining the ESRF to serve as Director General. Succeeding Francesco, who has so successfully lead the facility for many years, is a challenge I am taking on with humility. EBS provides extraordinary opportunities for scientific creativity that I will be most excited to develop further, together with the ESRF staff and the wider scientific community.”

Read more on ESRF website

SESAME announces the arrival of its new Administrative Director

2021/02/072021/02/09

On 1 February, Atef Abdelhamed Elkadime took up the position of Administrative Director of SESAME and despite COVID-19 he has already joined the Organization in Jordan.

Dr Elkadime has a PhD in Radiation Chemistry from Monoufia University (Egypt). For the last eight years he was Chairman of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA).

He has extensive experience in the administration of large research facilities, as well as in research and teaching. In his position as Chairman of the EAEA, he managed an organization that has 4,000 employees and a very large annual budget. Having also held various other high-level positions at the EAEA he acquired managerial skills in all sections of this large facility.

As an AFRA (African Regional Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology) National Coordinator, and Egypt’s National Liaison Officer (NLO) to the IAEA and representative at the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, as well as through a two-year position in Saudi Arabia and several fellowships and visits to scientifically-advanced countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Russia, the UK, the USA…..), Dr Elkadime has developed very extensive, well-established relations with intergovernmental organizations, the Gulf countries and countries of the North.

Rob Norris joins Canadian Light Source

2019/02/072019/02/07

Former provincial cabinet minister Rob Norris is joining the Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, as Senior Government Relations Officer.

“Rob brings a unique depth of experience in our parliamentary system, as well as key policy areas, including innovation, post-secondary education, and industry-related research. I have no doubt he will be of enormous help in strengthening our relationships with government stakeholders at every level, and increasing awareness about the valuable contributions our scientists are making,” said Rob Lamb, CLS Chief Executive Officer.

Image: CLS CEO Rob Lamb, Environmental & Earth Science Manager Chithra Karunakaran and Senior Government Relations Officer Rob Norris talk on the CLS mezzanine.