Description
Official Facebook page for Canada's national centre for synchrotron research, l'installation nationale de rayonnement synchrotron du Canada. The Canadian Light Source is Canada’s national centre for synchrotron research and a global centre of excellence in synchrotron science and its applications.
Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the CLS is a world-class, state-of-the-art facility that is advancing Canadian science, enhancing the competitiveness of Canadian industry and contributing to the quality of life of people around the world.
The synchrotron is one of the largest science projects in Canadian history and was the product of an unprecedented collaboration of federal, provincial and municipal governments and agencies, universities from across the country and industry.
CLS operations are funded by Canada Foundation for Innovation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Western Economic Diversification Canada, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan.
The CLS has hosted over 2,500 researchers from academic institutions, government, and industry from 10 provinces and 2 territories; delivered over 40,000 experimental shifts; received over 10,000 user visits; and provided a scientific service critical in over 1,500 scientific publications, since beginning operations in 2005. The CLS has over 200 full-time employees.
CLSI employs more than 200 people including scientists, engineers, technicians and administrative and business personnel.
What’s a synchrotron?
A synchrotron is a source of brilliant light that enables scientists to study the microstructure and chemical properties of materials. Extremely bright synchrotron light is produced by using radio frequency waves and powerful magnets to accelerate electrons close to the speed of light. The light—spanning the spectrum from infrared light to high energy X-rays--is shone down beamlines to laboratory endstations where researchers select specific wavelengths of light to observe matter down to the atomic level.
Synchrotrons can be used to analyze a host of physical, chemical, geological and biological processes. Information obtained by researchers can be used to develop ways to help reduce greenhouse gases and clean up mining wastes, examine the structure of surfaces to develop more effective paints and motor oils, design new drugs, develop new materials for products ranging from solar panels to safer medical implants and build more powerful computer chips. New applications are being thought of all the time - synchrotron experiments are even helping with the search for other life in the universe.
A Unique Mission
The mission of the Canadian Light Source encourages excellence in both basic and applied science, with the mandate to grow the Canadian synchrotron research community and promote the use of synchrotron techniques to industry. Part of this mandate is a globally-unique focus on commercial partnerships with industry, with a target of 25 percent industrial usage.
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.comBiochemists from McGill University are getting a good look at just how a specific enzyme that is part of the human immune system interacts with a certain group of bacteria that exist throughout the environment. While some are harmless, many cause a variety of human illnesses. Read more: http://www.lightsource.ca/news/details/scientists_map_important_immune_system_enzyme_for_the_first_time.html
Great to see our agriculture specialist and a University of Saskatchewan researcher featured in Grain Farmers of Ontario's magazine.
On the Beamlines: This University of Regina team is working to establish better uranium exploration models, using samples from Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. Saskatchewan is the world's second largest uranium producer, providing a zero-greenhouse-gas energy source for the world.
Students from Wynyard Composite High School investigate fruits, vegetables and vitamins looking for nutrients and elements. "We thought it would be cool to see what we are actually eating," said Jaslyn Sokul, one of the 27 students from Wynyard who conducted experiments as part of our Light Source Student Experience.
“We know kids benefit from early exposure to science. To be able to coordinate our efforts with the FSIN to reach even more youth is a fantastic opportunity,” says CLS Science Director Dean Chapman.
On the Beamlines: A unique training program funded by NSERC / CRSNG is bringing students, scientists and industry partners together in order to solve an environmental challenge. In this case, students and scientists from the University of Saskatchewan and NAIT are exploring a better way to remediate soil contaminated by gasoline and other hydrocarbons. They are analyzing soil amendments that were developed in a lab at NAIT using hydrothermal carbonization, which involves water and works like a pressure cooker, to produce hydrochars. The goal is to determine which hydrochars are used most efficiently by naturally occurring bacteria in the soil after a gasoline or diesel spill, without having to dig up the contaminated soil. The project’s industrial partners include Federated Co-Operatives Limited, UFA, Stantec, and Nichols Environmental Canada Ltd. CLS enables world-leading research thanks to funding by Innovation in Canada, NSERC / CRSNG, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Government of Saskatchewan, NRC/CNRC, and University of Saskatchewan. Thank you!
Come and learn about us! We offer free public tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The tours are one hour. Book a tour today: http://www.lightsource.ca/tours.html
Scientists are in a race against a disease as they work to develop canola varieties that are resistant to clubroot, a soil-borne disease that has the potential to decimate a canola field. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists learned more about why some roots are resistant to the disease using the brilliantly bright light at the CLS.. http://www.lightsource.ca/news/details/scientists_work_toward_new_canola_varieties_as_clubroot_spreads_across_the_prairies
On the Beamlines: A University of Saskatchewan research group is focused on improving the efficiency and longevity of solar cells made with perovskite materials. Led by Tim Kelly, a Canada Research Chair in Photovoltaics, the scientists want to understand how a specific type of solar cell made with lead halide perovskites absorb moisture that then causes the materials to release lead iodide. This type of solar cell is one of the most promising new photovoltaic technologies. The cells are inexpensive to manufacture and they efficiently convert sunshine to energy. The drawback is how quickly the cells decompose when exposed to moisture. The scientists are using our HXMA beamline to understand why and how the perovskites breakdown so they can return to the lab and work on prevent this from happening. CLS enables world-leading research thanks to funding by Innovation in Canada, NSERC / CRSNG, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Government of Saskatchewan, NRC/CNRC, and University of Saskatchewan. Thank you!
On the Beamlines: These University of Alberta mechanical engineering students are studying foams and ceramics used in defense and aerospace, like lightweight body armor and better helmets. The results from this project will lead directly to improvements in the performance and multi-hit capabilities of lightweight body armor for Canadian soldiers. Their research partners include the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Defense Research and Development Canada, and Canadian industry. CLS enables world-leading research thanks to funding by Innovation in Canada, NSERC / CRSNG, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Government of Saskatchewan, NRC/CNRC, and University of Saskatchewan. Thank you!
We have had two exciting days at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations - FSIN 10th Annual First Nations Science Fair. Congratulations to everyone who participated!
We are at Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations - FSIN science fair today. Our science director, Dean Chapman, speaks to the students.
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