French Science Minister visits the ESRF

After an introduction featuring the governance and key figures of the ESRF, the Minister visited the Experimental Hall, where Laurent Farvacque, acting Director of the Accelerator and Source, explained the functioning of the storage ring and the undulator X-ray sources. The presentation focused on the need for ever thinner and more brilliant beams, and the opportunity to serve a large number of different users thanks to the number and variety of beamlines distributed around the ring.

A short visit to a structural biology beamline, ID29, enabled ESRF scientists Elspeth Gordon and Daniele de Sanctis to demonstrate sample automation, and to highlight the complexity of the proteins currently studied at synchrotrons like the ESRF. ID29 is also a beamline with an important user community from the research departments of pharmaceutical companies.

The visit concluded with a presentation by ESRF scientist Paul Tafforeau on recent results in palaeontology using synchrotron X-rays, notably for identification of insect species, which provides new insights in paleoecology, and for furthering our knowledge on human evolution by the study of early hominids.

Minister Laurent Wauquiez was accompanied by the Mayor of Grenoble, Michel Destot, and Deputy Mayor Geneviève Fioraso, as well as the Préfet de l’Isère, Eric Le Douaron. The French research bodies CEA and CNRS were represented by officials from their Paris headquarters, the University of Grenoble I by its President, and the Academy of Grenoble by its Rector.

“The ESRF owes a lot to its French user communities, notably in Grenoble and the Rhône-Alpes region. Our world-leading position is potentially a major asset to leverage the current investments by the French government into its science sector and global excellence. I am pleased that the strong support we receive from our host country was underscored today by a visit of Minister Laurent Wauquiez”, said Francesco Sette, summarising his impressions after the visit.

Laurent Farvacque, acting Director of the Accelerator and Source, explaining the functioning of the storage ring to Laurent Wauquiez, French Minister for Science and Higher Education. The roof of the storage ring tunnel has been removed for a view onto the magnets and other elements within. Image credit: D. Morel/ESRF.

Francesco Sette explains the functioning of the automated sample environment to Laurent Wauquiez at the macromolecular crystallography beamline ID29. In the picture, from left to right are Daniele de Sanctis, Michel Destot, Laurent Wauquiez, Bernard Bigot, CEA Chairman, Bertrand Girard (CNRS), Head of French delegation to ESRF, Francesco Sette. Image credit: D. Morel/ESRF.

Top image: Around a model of the ESRF, Michel Destot, Laurent Wauquiez, and Francesco Sette (left to right). Image credit: D. Morel/ESRF.