ELI ERIC Plans a Busy Second Year of Operations
The first joint ELI Call for Users and the integration of the ELI Beamlines facility are among the key decisions in the second year of operations for ELI ERIC. The General Assembly’s fifth meeting focused on scientific and technological updates as well as organisational developments.
The ELI ERIC General Assembly (GA) met for the fifth time on 22-23 June hosted by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), the first such meeting outside the Host Countries. The agenda featured updates on the publication of the first joint ELI Call for Users and the organisational integration progress. Additionally, key decisions on the Employment, Dissemination and Scientific Evaluation Policies were taken and the introduction of the Innovation Policy. The GA also endorsed the candidate for Director of Science which will be announced at the end of June.
The meeting was hosted by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), a nearby partner of ELI. Active cooperation between HZDR and ELI Beamlines is rooted in the similarity of the two the facilities. Just recently, a team from HZDR visited ELI Beamlines in Prague for a joint scientific workshop to explore future collaboration opportunities. HZDR is also an active partner in the IMPULSE project which is supporting these activities.
“We were very impressed by the progress at ELI Beamlines,” says Prof. Sebastian Schmidt, Scientific Director of HZDR. “Our facilities are natural partners and we aim to intensify the collaboration for both of our benefits. We are looking forward to fruitful exchanges with the colleagues from ELI.”
One of the major developments at ELI the GA was updated on is the launch of the first joint ELI Call for Users on 5 June 2022. This is the first time that all 3 ELI Facilities provide access at the same time to a limited suite of instruments with demonstrated readiness and reliability. Potential users have the opportunity to conduct some of the first state-of-the-art experiments and perform cutting edge research. Offering access to scientific users is a core mission of ELI ERIC.
“ELI ERIC will be a place where the boundaries of science and technology will be pushed,” says Prof. Caterina Petrillo, General Assembly Chair. “As a world leading user facility, ELI will enable ground- breaking discoveries and serve as an incubator for innovative technologies.”
Another key development is the integration of ELI Beamlines into ELI ERIC. ELI Beamlines presented plans responsibilities and liabilities from the Czech Institute of Physics (IOP) to ELI ERIC by January 2023. This is a complex process with multiple stakeholders. The GA supported these plans and authorised ELI ERIC Director General, Allen Weeks and GA Chair Caterina Petrillo, to negotiate a package of agreements to be presented at the next GA meeting in October 2022. The integration of ELI ALPS is foreseen for 2024.
The GA also endorsed core policies for the operation of ELI ERIC. Complementary to the Data and Access Policy already approved, the Dissemination Policy supports the openness ELI ERIC’s scientific and technological activities and results to the research community, industry and the general public. The Employment Policy governs staff activities, ensuring qualified and trained international staff and quality working conditions for an excellent research environment. It was also approved. Finally, the ELI ERIC Innovation Policy was introduced.
