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“HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE RESEARCH FACILITY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1427 on Oct. 3, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE RESEARCH
FACILITY
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HON. BARBARA LEE
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Advanced Light Source (ALS) research facility at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. For two decades, this remarkable scientific tool has provided scientists, students and organizations from around the United States and the world access to extremely bright sources of intense and coherent short-
wavelength light for use in scientific experiments.
The intensity of the ALS's light source is one billion times brighter than the sun, allowing researchers to characterize the electronic structure of matter and to reveal microscopic structures with elemental and chemical specificity.
This extraordinary tool, by revealing the molecular and chemical makeup of organic and inorganic materials, offers unprecedented opportunities for state-of-the art research in materials science, biology, chemistry, physics, and the environmental sciences. Uniquely focused on providing ``soft'' x-ray's unlike most other light sources, discoveries made at the Advanced Light Source research facility have led to Nobel Prizes, the development of new energy solutions, and advanced health care solutions.
The planning and design process of the Advanced Light Source began in 1987, and ground was broken in 1988, with construction completed in 1993. The official dedication took place on the morning of October 22, 1993.
Funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science, the nation's largest funder of the physical sciences, the Advanced Light Source has contributed directly to the nation's innovation vitality and economic security.
Through a rigorous and independent peer review process, only the most important research proposals are accepted each year to utilize ALS's 40 beamlines, which operate simultaneously over 5,000 hours per year. More than 2,000 researchers from academic, industrial, and government laboratories worldwide use the ALS and publish an estimated 600 scientific publications annually.
To date, extraordinary research at the ALS has led to a number of discoveries, including: longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles; nanoscale magnetic imaging for compact data storage; plastic solar cells that are flexible and easy to produce; inroads into developing artificial photosynthesis for clean, renewable energy; fine-
tuning of combustion for cleaner-burning fuels; more effective chemical reactions for fuel cells; the use of microbes to clean up toxins; cheaper biofuels from renewable sources; characterizing protein structures for rational drug design; and production of even-smaller transistors for more powerful computers.
Truly, the Advanced Light Source continues to be among our country's most important and relevant research tools for the advancement of science and technology. Moreover, the scientific discoveries and contributions resulting from its use are fundamental to the growth and vibrancy of our nation's economy.
On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I offer my congratulations and best wishes to all employees of the ALS, former and current, on reaching this important milestone. I look forward to working with the Lab and with the Department of Energy on securing a bright future for this extraordinary scientific resource.
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