Life on board ESS

A very passionate talk on "Neutrons, Nanomaterials and Molecular Adsorption" was given this Thursday by Mr. John Z. Larese from University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The audience attending the ESS & Lund University seminar series on "New Science with Max IV and ESS" was introduced to the meaning and mysteries of "surface science".

In a more profound framing of his presentation John started by touching upon some factors which attracts researchers and scientists to settle down, work and live at certain places. It became obvious that beautiful nature combined with dynamic city and campus environments, offering opportunities to do top class research with state-of-the-art technology, were central things. But for a large scale research facility (like the ESS) to become successful, it is important not only to be able to provide instruments with higher resolution and faster speed of data management - the area surrounding the facility must have laboratories and gear for synthesising, characterising and preparation of samples nearby. There must be labs on spot where the researcher can error detect their samples quickly in case something goes wrong with the sample. With valuable and expensive beam time running, it can be devastating to your project if one have to travel long distances in order to optimise research samples and assemble data. Considering these requirements, there is no doubt that the location of the European Spallation Source on the site just north of Lund, will make ESS an integrated part of the Øresund region [map] thus making it possible to benefit from an urban environment which is currently building up one of the worlds most excellent infrastructures for science and research.

On the more hardcore level of John's presentation we became acquaintanced with MgO (Magnesium Oxide), ZnO (Zinc Oxide) and how to carry out basic science experiments producing nanoparticles by burning the substance and then analysing with neutron spectrometry.

Neutron scattering techniques like diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering and spectroscopy, are ideally suited to investigate the structure and dynamics of molecules at the interface of nanoscale materials. John has actually been doing experiments with our own ESS director Colin Carlile during the nineties at the ISIS neutron source using the IRIS spectrometer which Colin spent his life on building (before he spent his life building the ESS AB).

Through synthetic production and characterization of nanometer scale materials like Mgo and ZnO we can create tiny elements of materials which exhibit physical and chemical properties that are dramatically different from ordinary matter.

ZnO can form nanosized tetrapods which can be used for optoelectronics - Sensors combining both light and electricity for fine measurments in technological devices.

High power neutron tools with novel instrumentation will spawn a new generation of science that will dramatically impact the world’s energy and technological future. Investing in this technology and research is of high relevance to the energy challenges we see today. John tells us that it has already made us re-discover solar energy and fuel cells paving the way for a sustainable society.

By combining material synthesis, neutron scattering and modeling theory we can develop accurate potential energy surfaces and predict new routes for developing new materials; understand what factors are important in surface mediation of chemical reactions; synthesise novel materials to address fundamental questions in gas separation, sequestration and storage, catalysis, sensors, energy storage and energy conversion.

Innovation and technological improvements in society is of course the crucial outcome for public investments in big science facilities. In order for a researcher to make new discoveries and innovate, John Larese pointed out the importance of being at the right place at the right time and having the ability to be receptive to the world around you. He also displayed a map of a research program that the SNS and HFIR facilities in the USA runs together with ILL in France and ISIS in the UK.

I think of the ten years I've been working at universities myself: We now live in a digitalised knowledge society with a globalised competition for resources and competences between universities, laboratories and research facilities. Sometimes, barriers of fear and bad campaigning appears on the agenda of competing institutions, countries and organisations with seemingly different interests. But in order to develop science and society on an international level, we rather need to look at the things connecting us which can make us stronger together. John Larese talked about the importance of getting facilities and organisations to talk to each other and help professionals to network, collaborate and build international societies within their fields of interest. When institutions and people choose a more social strategy, creating win-win situations, it becomes easier to expand our universe of arts and science and provide new generations with a greater possibility to find the right place at the right time and become innovative. It is in the mix between different schools, cultures, minds and DNA, where new things evolve. Living in the international environment of Lund, being able to listen to speeches by prominent researchers and meet with interesting people from all around the world, is certainly a time and place which makes me creative!

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The weekend of November 13-15th brought together young people from around the world to meet in Lund and discuss climate change ahead of the climate summit in Copenhagen, COP15. The 300 participants at Klimatting ETT increased their knowledge by listening to lectures on, among other things, climate policy and the carbon footprint of food. The new skills were used in the three tracks that would develop proposals to be submitted to COP15, to start climate related projects and to create recommendations to improve each individual's ability to reduce their climate impact. On Sunday, a vote was held in order to bring forward the three best ideas from the weekend.

The outcome of The Climate Gathering in Lund was presented to a panel consisting of:

- Mats Helmfrid (Mayor and Chairman of the City Executive Board)
- Karin Loodberg (Head of Environmental Strategy Development)
- Håkan Samuelsson (Climate Municipalities, Coordinator)
- Thomas Björnsson (Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Klimatnätverket)
- Dimitra Papoudimitriou (Caretakers of the Environment International, CEI, Greece)

Here are some of the youths recommendations to COP15:

• Global bank, 2GDP: Introduce a global bank for Climate Action, to which all countries must pay 2 percent of GDP.
• Education, practical & emotional: The young people stressed most of all the importance of education in climate and sustainability issues. Most votes received a proposal that recommended a strategic investment in education for sustainable development, ranging from nursery, primary and secondary schools to politicians, adults and seniors in the community. Formal, informal and non formal education for sustainable development are all crucial pieces in order to establish this.
• Campaign project against plastic bags: "Plastic bag kills", and with the intention to promote taxes on environmentally harmful products.

In addition to these proposals came several other ideas that might become a reality. For example, how about a system equivalent to Weight Watchers points, but on greenhouse gases?

Among the many reponses from the panel were Thomas Björnsson saying that the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation should take these ideas further the Climate Action Network, CAN.

Mats Helmfrid thought the global bank, 2 GDP, was a good idea and that we can influence to make that happen.

Thomas Björnsson commented that Sweden could start - "We don't need international negotiations and agreements before we start here locally and become a role model."
(huge applause from the audience..).

A young woman in the audience asked which of the questions being put forward by the Climate Gathering, that the panel considered being the most important.

Thomas Björnsson responded: "Setting up the global bank."

Mats Helmfrid thought it was important making it legally binding. That every country must contribute. Also the USA and China.

Karin Loodberg agreed on the importance of collaboration between western world and other parts like the developing countries.

The general concern in the panel seemed to be that the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen will have a really difficult job to achieve when it comes to commitment from all countries.

The young woman in the audience told that she, and many with her, will also participate at the COP15, perhaps not in the official meeting rooms, but out in the streets, in alternative gatherings.

From Lund, negotiations are under way right now for the proposals from KLIMATTING ETT to get a space at the EU pavilion during COP15, but many of the youngsters are already determined to go to Copenhagen and attend whatever the outcome!

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The citizens of Lund enjoyed two days of challenging experiments during the ”Turista Hemma” weekend (16-17/5). This was the third experimental days arranged by ESS Scandinavia and it was popular with almost 400 attendees!

Curious families did their own hands on experiments, with guidance from Anna and Alexander from Chemistry Centre (Lund University). Marshmallows were “barbequed” in liquid nitrogen (-196°C), slime was produced and Styrofoam was dissolved in acetone.

- “You should really do this more often”, “This was exciting”, “wow”, “Extremely good experience, and cookies”, “Amazing”, “I love chemical mysteries”, “I liked the frozen marshmallows the most” were some of the statements made by the visitors.

Families left the exhibition more experienced – scientific mysteries had been explored as well as the cookies, lemonade and coffee on the “fika” table!

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Today was a lovely day for a walk on the Lomma beach near Lund. You could really anticipate summer in the fresh Scandinavian air. Some high-spirited person took a bath in the water! Another one was fishing. A selection of photos from the spring in Lund can be seen in our new picture gallery here:

ESS Scandinavia Picture Gallery

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Lund is an ambitious city when it comes to the development, renewal and expansion of its cultural life. The “city of ideas” have produced both a cultural strategy for the city authorities to use as a guide for improving cultural activities in a municipality which has already been voted for being the best place to live in Sweden(!). Lund has also produced a monumental “bid” as the application in the competition for becoming European Capital of Culture 2014. The city has invested a lot in this complex development work, started in 2000.

Out of four Swedish cities - Gävle, Lund, Umeå and Uppsala - the selection panel have now appointed Lund and Umeå to the final round. The jury is composed of six Swedish jurors and seven from the rest of Europe.

The application should function as working material and inspiration for the more in-depth work which will begin in January 2009, if Lund goes on to the next stage in the selection process. That is when the fundamental and strategic guiding principles that have been set out will begin to be turned into concrete projects and programmes.

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