From Director Chi-Chang Kao: Molecular Environmental and Interface Science Strategy We continue to define SSRL's five-to-ten year strategic goals. In this column we present our plans for Molecular Environmental and Interface Science at SSRL. 
Understanding and mitigating biological and environmental impacts of energy
production is important to society. Fundamental research is needed to better
understand or control carbon cycling and sequestration (in soils, oceans, the
atmosphere, and geological repositories), safe disposition of nuclear waste,
fate and mitigation of groundwater contaminants, and sustainability and
resiliency of complex biogeochemical and environmental systems that support
life on Earth. Key processes are driven by reactions occurring at the
molecular scale, at interfaces between water, minerals, and
biological surfaces
(e.g., biofilms), and in complex natural mesoscale systems in which
dimensions range from nano- to millimeter. The exceptional capabilities of
synchrotron light source facilities, which provide information about bonding
environments and electronic structure under in situ conditions, over a
continuum of length and temporal scales, are crucial to enabling new
discoveries and building our understanding in these research areas. Full
understanding of these systems requires consideration of both "bio" and "geo"
components and how they interact.
SSRL will identify strategies by which we can make the greatest scientific impacts. Emerging emphasis areas include cycling of carbon, "biogeochemical carbon-critical" elements (including N, S, P, Fe), and contaminants in Earth's subsurface and oceans; geological CO2 sequestration, including reactive transport in mesoporous media; sustainable production and use of energy critical elements (including those in the platinum and rare earth groups); developing mechanistic understandings of important biogeochemical reactions, including biomineralization; and the environmental reactivity of natural and anthropogenic nanoparticles. SSRL's world-class strengths in environmental x-ray absorption spectroscopy and imaging programs provide the foundation, therefore growing and leveraging the competitiveness and impact of these programs are central priorities. Facility efforts will include:
We will identify research foci and create partnerships with national laboratories, national and international university programs and with Stanford University to further identify and leverage facility method and instrument developments. We will continue to develop our introductory workshops for new synchrotron users and one-on-one mentoring of students and post doctoral scientists. We seek input from the user community as we develop these strategic plans. This article originally appeared in the April 2012 edition of SSRL Headline News. __________________________________________________________________________ Questions? Please contact Lisa Dunn |