Introduction​

Welcome to the newest issue of the Sample Environment and Support Labs (SEaSL) newsletter! 

The Support Labs and Sample Environment teams have continued upholding their high standards of work over these past 9 months, including the Grand Reopening of the Deuteration Facility in February.

There have been multiple events to cover in this issue, including the Student Alumni Event, NMSUM and the 3rd joint ESS/ISIS Support Laboratories Symposium, which was held at the ESS in Lund. Last year it was held at ISIS, and the scope of the meeting was broadened to include other neutron facilities.

We have also chosen to highlight in this issue the opportunities of students in both groups, and the scope of work that apprentices in the Sample Environment group have undertaken, shown here.

For all events covered in this newsletter issue, please visit this page.

Editor, Dan Nye

ERAs and Sample Safety

There was a meeting of the Genetic Modification Safety Management Committee (GMSMC) on the 15th November 2023. At this site-wide meeting, Biological Health and Safety at RAL was discussed, with delegates from RFI, ISIS, Diamond, CLF and RCaH. As a result, the BioCOSHH risk assessment is being reviewed to incorporate the newest legislation while making it easier to complete.

As a reminder, there are some considerations nescessary before bringing Animal By-Products (ABP) to ISIS, including cheese, milk, animal hides etc. This is especially true when importing items. Please ensure that you have addressed whether or not the item in question can carry disease. If you need to discuss regulations about import and export, and health and safety on site, please (link) contact the Biolab manager.

The ISIS Sample Safety Team would like to ask that anyone working with active materials thinks carefully before acting and familiarises themselves with the rules for handling at ISIS:

• Absolutely do not break containment of active samples without discussion with Sample Safety/RPS first.
• Radioactive samples may not be taken into the prep labs, including the gloveboxes.

For further information, please contact the ISIS Sample Safety Team.

Technician Commitment

Many of you will already be aware of the Technician Commitment, launched in 2017 and designed for Technicians, which aims to raise the profile of technical work and workers in the UK, of which UKRI/STFC is a supporter.

Recently, a £5.5m national Institute of Technical Skills and Strategy (ITSS) has been launched, for which they recently opened applications to be on the UK Technical Council, and received over 150 applications, the specialised panel finally choosing 14 members to be on the council to represent the voice of technicians in higher education and research nationally; one of these was our very own BioLab manager, Ludmila Mee, so please join us in a hearty congratulations to Ludmila!

In addition to this, Erik Johnson is on the STFC Council.

On the 22nd of November there will be a Technician Commitment conference, held at five STFC sites and streamed online. For more details, STFC staff can click here to access the Sharepoint site.

​Support Labs​​​ Group

Support Laboratories Website.

Biology Laboratories (BioLabs)

The BioLab has chosen to highlight the current student projects in the lab, and the now-ready AF4 system.

For more information, please click here to access the BioLabs page.

Chemistry And Sample Prep Labs (Prep Labs)

The South-Side Prep Lab has reopened, gloveboxes have been cleaned, and Sarah Langham has retired.

For more information, please click here to access the Prep Labs page.

Deuteration Facility (D-Lab)

The Deuteration Facility has a new lab. The lab rebuild project is completed, and officially reopened!

For more information, please click here to access the D-Lab page.

Hydrogen Catalysis Lab

The Hydrogen and Catalysis Lab has chosen to highlight their new Quantachrome iSorb HP2 equipment, and some details about expected disruption in 2024.

For more information, please click here to access the Hydrogen Catalysis Lab page.

Materials Characterisation Laboratory (MCL)

The MCL has chosen to highlight several papers as science highlights for the lab, along with a new project underway and an update to the SAXS source.

For more information, please click here to access the MCL page.

Sample Environ​​ment​ Group

After many years in the role of Group Leader, Oleg Kirichek has decided to tackle a new challenge in becoming the Group’s first ‘lead scientist’ working on exciting opportunities offered by future R&D projects. Chris Lawson has taken his place after successfully interviewing for the leadership of the Sample Environment Group. Chris has been with ISIS for 8 years, heading up the facility’s ultra-low temperature and high magnetic field offering, whilst also having involvement in the helium recovery facility. He has a PhD in low temperature physics from Lancaster University, and has spent time in The Netherlands as a researcher in industry. All correspondence intended for the Group Leader should now be sent to Chris.

Sample Environment Group Website.

Cryogenics

The Cryogenics team have highlighted installstion of a new LN2 tank, attendance at several conferences, and some staff changes that have occured since the last issue.

For more information, please click here to access the Cryogenics page.

Pressure and Furnace​

The Pressure and Furnace team have chosen to highlight a new starter and the development of a system for control of humidity of flow gas during in-situ chemical reactions.

For more information, please click here to access the Pressure and Furnace page.

Soft Matter

The Soft Matter team has chosen to highlight work on the ISISstat and the Delft Furnace.

For more information, please click here to access the Soft Matter page.