Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OPEN SESAME (Opening Synchrotron Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East)

Teaser

Synchrotron light has become a de facto tool for researchers worldwide, with around 40 large facilities operational across the world. It allows unique insights into materials and living matter which are impossible by other conventional techniques, opening up avenues for new...

Summary

Synchrotron light has become a de facto tool for researchers worldwide, with around 40 large facilities operational across the world. It allows unique insights into materials and living matter which are impossible by other conventional techniques, opening up avenues for new and better products, understanding the universe in which we live, developing new medicines and helping to preserve ancient artefacts. Moreover as international hubs of scientific and technological excellence, light sources provide bridges between different cultures and scientific disciplines, as well as providing inspiring and scientifically rich environments for training young researchers, engineers and technicians.

SESAME is the first international science centre of its type in the Middle East and provides state-of-the-art synchrotron light to researchers as users of the facility from across the SESAME Members and beyond. The OPEN SESAME project aims to help ensure the optimal exploitation of the Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) light source.

With this overall aim, OPEN SESAME has three key objectives:
• To train SESAME staff in the storage ring and beamline instrumentation technology, research techniques and administration for optimal use of a modern light source facility.
• To build-up human capacity in Middle East researchers to optimally exploit SESAME’s infrastructure.
• To train SESAME staff and its user community in public outreach and corporate communications, and to support SESAME and its stakeholders in building awareness and demonstrating its socio-economic impact to assure longer term exploitation.

Each objective is tackled by a specific activity. Firstly, SESAME staff training is addressed by 65 staff exchanges planned between SESAME and the European partners, allowing a transfer of know-how and experience to SESAME in synchrotron commissioning and operation. Secondly, capacity-building for scientific researchers in the Middle East to use the SESAME capabilities is targeted by five training schools, a short-term fellowship programme and an industrial workshop. Finally, a proactive communications strategy is being exploited, including an educational “roadshow” to all of the SESAME Members – targeting especially students and younger researchers, and a training programme in research infrastructure administration and their economic role and impact for young science managers of SESAME Member stakeholders.

The OPEN SESAME project will have a lasting impact on a reinforced European Research Area, and particularly in strengthening international cooperation for research infrastructures with a key Region and neighbourhood countries located close to Europe. Durable collaborative contacts are also expected between European researchers and their counterparts in the Middle East, at SESAME and in universities and research institutes. All this makes OPEN SESAME an important tool in scientific diplomacy and reinforcing European relations with our neighbours.

The OPEN SESAME consortium is composed of ten European institutes (six light sources: CELLS, DESY, ELETTRA, ESRF, INFN and SOLEIL together with The Cyprus Institute, CERN, CNRS and Instruct) along with SESAME itself.

Work performed

OPEN SESAME focuses upon training – training of the SESAME staff and of researchers in the Middle East from the Members of SESAME, as well as targeting young administrators in terms of awareness of the impact of a large-scale research facility for science, economy, jobs and inspiring students for future training and careers.
In the OPEN SESAME project at the half way point (18 months), we have achieved:
• 43 staff exchanges between SESAME and European light sources for training
• Training workshops on Ancient Materials, Life Science and Infra-Red Microspectroscopy and Remote X-ray Data Collection from European Synchrotrons (total of 75 participants)
• First Training Module for Young Research Administrators (25 participants)
• First cycle of Fellowships for visits to European light sources of up to 12 weeks for young researchers from SESAME Members (nine bursaries awarded).

Final results

The OPEN SESAME project is well-timed for the needs of SESAME: during 2016 the accelerator complex was being commissioned together with the construction of the first beamlines expected to come into operation. The scheduling and design of the OPEN SESAME project activities was therefore optimised to provide a maximum benefit to SESAME during critical periods with final commissioning and the move towards routine user operation.

The second period of the project will bring a further two training workshops in synchrotron techniques, a workshop dedicated to the exploitation of SESAME facilities for industrial and strongly applied R&D and the final module of training for the young administrators. Staff exchanges on topics driven by the needs of SESAME as it builds its user operation will continue as planned. The key support of OPEN SESAME to the communications strategy of SESAME will continue, and also with further engagement with the researcher communities in the Middle East through the roadshow action.

The impact of the project will remain not only with the cohort of OPEN SESAME trained alumni, but the alumni will disseminate the awareness and training amongst SESAME staff – particularly when new recruits arrive after the project completion – and Middle East researchers. Furthermore, OPEN SESAME will create a sustainable impact with training materials deployed through an on-line training warehouse, and building the framework conditions to cultivate longer term collaborations and a durable support network amongst the project partners - especially with a generation of young Middle East researchers working with EU experts. The overall activity of OPEN SESAME will help to draw SESAME, its staff and associated user base into the European scientific integrated networks of both research infrastructures and users. In these senses and others, OPEN SESAME aligns very well with the EC ambition of “Open Innovation, Open Science and Open to the World”.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.opensesame-h2020.eu/en/.