Volkswagen Foundation supports junior researchers: European XFEL

The Volkswagen Foundation (https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de) launched a funding initiative in 2010 – the Peter Paul Ewald Fellowships – to prepare the next generation of scientists for application of a groundbreaking technology: The European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg. The X-Ray Free-Electron Laser can be used to take three-dimensional images of the nanocosmos, film chemical processes and elucidate molecular structures – all with a previously inconceivable brilliance.

The European XFEL generates up to 27,000 x-ray laser pulses per second, with a brilliance that is billions of times higher than that of the best conventional x-ray radiation sources and a wavelength so minute that even atomic-level details become visible – for instance in biomolecules, viruses, and cells. The Ewald Fellows of Volkswagen Foundation were provided with the opportunity to carry out experiments with one of the most powerful x-ray laser at LCLS in Stanford for periods of up to two years. In order to allow participants to transfer their newly acquired know-how to the European XFEL, their research stays at the LCLS are followed by a period of funding at a German research institution.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Ewald Fellowships of Volkswagen Foundation provided support for postdocs conducting cutting-edge research with free-electron lasers.

Free-electron lasers for hard X-rays are creating completely new research opportunities in the natural sciences. By means of ultra short and intensive X-ray flashes, scientists hope to unravel the atomic structure of bio-molecules as well as cells and viruses, and they will also be able to film chemical reactions and matter under extreme conditions – to mention just a few of the possible applications.

The first laser capable of doing these things was the LCLS (Linac Coherent Light Source) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory of Stanford University, USA. Since then the European XFEL (X-Ray Free-Electron Laser) at Hamburg/Schenefeld – opening in 2017 – and other facilities were built.

SCOPE OF FUNDING

The aim of the terminated funding initiative entitled “Research with Free-Electron Lasers: Peter-Paul-Ewald Fellowships at the LCLS in Stanford” – named after Peter Paul Ewald (1888-1985), a pioneer of x-ray techniques – is to provide support for young researchers working in the area of free-electron lasers.

Funding was granted for a period of three years – part of which in Stanford, and part at a hosting institution in Germany. The idea was to provide grantees with the opportunity to carry out experiments with one of the most powerful x-ray laser at LCLS in Stanford. In order to allow participants to transfer their newly acquired know-how to the European XFEL, their research stays at the LCLS are followed by a period of funding at a German research institution.

SYMPOSIA AND SUMMER SCHOOLS

In addition to the Fellowships, the Volkswagen Foundation is able to support Symposia and Summer Schools dealing with the topic of free-electron lasers in accordance with the usual conditions for symposia programs.

STATUS SYMPOSIA

For the presentation of results and for networking among the fellows several status symposia were and will be organized: in October 2017 at DESY/European XFEL in Hamburg, in April 2016 at SLAC in Stanford, and in November 2014 at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover.

BACKGROUND FUNDING INITIATIVE

The funding initiative entitled “Research with Free-Electron Lasers: Peter-Paul-Ewald Fellowships at the LCLS in Stanford” was started in 2010. The closing call was in 2015.