Arts & Sciences Events
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Arts & Sciences
[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium
September 26, 2011
4pm - 5pm
Abstract: The National Academy of Science, Department of Energy, Office of Science and National Science Foundation have recently defined a set of scientific "Grand Challenges" for the 21st century. DOE's interest is a secure and sustainable energy future in a clean environment. Addressing many of the challenges will require an X-ray laser - a coherent ultra-bright light source whose wavelength is of atomic dimensions. The machine will cost $1-2B, and will be based on technology developed at Jefferson Lab. In this talk we will address the science motivating the X-ray laser, will describe the physics and nature of the source itself, and talk about Virginia's potential role in this project.
Work supported by the Office of Naval Research, the Joint Technology Office, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Army Night Vision Lab, and by DOE under contract DE-AC05-06OR23177.
Gwyn P. Williams is the Deputy Director of the Free Electron Laser facility at Jefferson Lab, and manages the lab's research programs in photon science. He has co-authored 240 research publications and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Gwyn is a native of the U.K., and since obtaining his Ph.D. from Sheffield University in 1971, has spent most of his career at the national laboratories, first at Daresbury Lab in England, then at Brookhaven National Lab in New York, and, for the past 11 years, at Jefferson Lab. Gwyn's research has used particle accelerators as light sources to help understand the fundamental physical behavior of materials and surfaces. He was the 1990 recipient of a R&D 100 Award for developing a wavefront dividing interferometer for use with such ultrabright sources. His research has motivated a lifelong parallel development of such ultra-bright light sources as probes. The latest development in this arena is the decision by the Department of Energy to build an X-ray laser, with the ultimate aim of making movies of chemical reactions and studying energy transfer mechanisms at the nanoscale. Gwyn currently serves on a number of scientific advisory committees for large facilities around the world. He has served as editor for several journals, and currently is on the editorial board of Synchrotron Radiation News and is a reviewer for Nature, Physical Review and Physical Review Letters.
Work supported by the Office of Naval Research, the Joint Technology Office, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Army Night Vision Lab, and by DOE under contract DE-AC05-06OR23177.
Gwyn P. Williams is the Deputy Director of the Free Electron Laser facility at Jefferson Lab, and manages the lab's research programs in photon science. He has co-authored 240 research publications and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Gwyn is a native of the U.K., and since obtaining his Ph.D. from Sheffield University in 1971, has spent most of his career at the national laboratories, first at Daresbury Lab in England, then at Brookhaven National Lab in New York, and, for the past 11 years, at Jefferson Lab. Gwyn's research has used particle accelerators as light sources to help understand the fundamental physical behavior of materials and surfaces. He was the 1990 recipient of a R&D 100 Award for developing a wavefront dividing interferometer for use with such ultrabright sources. His research has motivated a lifelong parallel development of such ultra-bright light sources as probes. The latest development in this arena is the decision by the Department of Energy to build an X-ray laser, with the ultimate aim of making movies of chemical reactions and studying energy transfer mechanisms at the nanoscale. Gwyn currently serves on a number of scientific advisory committees for large facilities around the world. He has served as editor for several journals, and currently is on the editorial board of Synchrotron Radiation News and is a reviewer for Nature, Physical Review and Physical Review Letters.