A Message from Petra Reinke, NSLS-II Users' Executive Committee Chair
September 21, 2026
I’d like to start by extending a warm welcome to our new Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) members, who were elected this past May, and congratulating those who have stepped into new roles.
Gary Harlow, our new Vice Chair, is already leading the planning committee for our next Users’ Meeting, currently scheduled for the last week of April 2027. Benjamin Paren, who joined the UEC this year, has taken on the role of Outreach Officer, while Alisha Clark has graciously agreed to continue serving as Secretary. Wilson Chiu has transitioned to the role of Past Chair. We’re delighted to welcome Dilara Meli, David Sprouster, Arjen van Veelen, and Kent Grifith to the committee, along with Liam Schmidt, who joins us as our new student representative. You can find all of our members and how to get in touch with them on the UEC membership website.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has served on the UEC over the years. Your time, energy, and commitment are what make this committee, and the broader NSLS-II user community, so strong.
Events and opportunities to connect
The UEC is here to represent NSLS-II users, but we also contribute to events like workshops, summer educational programs, and seminars throughout the year at the facility. This summer, it was wonderful to see more than 50 student interns carrying NSLS-II lunch bags sponsored by the UEC and enjoying some of the treats we provided for each of the “Snacks with Staff” sessions. These intimate, informal, group discussions with staff in different areas of NSLS-II are an excellent venue for networking and learning what day-to-day life is like at a user facility. It has been a highlight of our annual summer events, and we look forward to helping welcome students back to NSLS-II for many more years to come.
Food is a really great way to bring people together, which is why we are happy to provide a free slice of pizza at NSLS-II’s Friday Lunchtime Seminar series. Every Friday at noon, users and staff are encouraged to join us in building 743 to enjoy some pizza and hear about the exciting work happening in synchrotron science from staff, users, and other experts.
I hope you think of us when you’re munching on a slice of pizza during one of these engaging talks or admiring a giveaway from a UEC sponsored event. In addition to these regular events, we have supported a wide range of workshops over many years. If funds allow, we are happy to contribute to supporting workshops and events organized across the NSLS-II community throughout the year.
Next stop, Yaphank-BNL station!
Last month, Brookhaven launched a free shuttle service pilot program connecting the Laboratory and Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) new Yaphank-BNL station. This station is much closer to the lab, saving riders time on the road. This service is not just available to staff, but also open to users, students, guests, visitors, and contractors.
The shuttle currently conducts pickups and dropoffs at the Science and User Support Center (Building 101) and the Research Support Building (Building 400). View the latest shuttle and train schedules. You can also download the TripShot app for mobile devices, which you can use to make shuttle reservations.
We would love to hear from you - what is your biggest challenge when coming to NSLS-II for experiments? Or after the experiments? Please reach out to me at chair@nsls2uec.org or pr6e@virginia.edu to share any of your ideas, questions, or suggestions. To stay up to date and in contact, please visit the NSLS-II UEC website.
— Petra Reinke, NSLS-II Users' Executive Committee Chair
