On 19 January 2020, SESAME was the venue for the workshop Synchrotron Light: A Powerful Tool for Scientific Research organized by the Association of Arab Universities (AArU).
For SESAME, this was a milestone event as it was the first meeting of another organization to take place on its premises.
Providing a venue for regional meetings on topics both directly or not directly related to synchrotron radiation, but of importance for the region, when its meeting rooms are not required for its own activity, has always been on the agenda of SESAME, and furthers its mission as a focal point for regional cooperation.
The workshop brought together 21 Jordanian and Palestinian university professors and lecturers, and served to introduce them to SESAME and the many opportunities the Laboratory may offer for the work of research teams in Jordan and Palestine.
Following the formal opening at which the Director of SESAME, Khaled Toukan, and the AArU workshop coordinator, Nawaf Tubaishat, welcomed participants, SESAME’s beamline scientists, Messoud Harfouche, Gihan Kamel and Mahmoud Abdellatief, each gave a presentation on the many applications possible on their respective beamlines, namely the XAFS/XRF, IR and MS beamlines, and how experiments using these beamlines may boost scientific research in the region, while Greta Facile from SESAME’s Users’ Office, explained how proposals for beam time are to be submitted through the SESAME User Portal (SUP). In November 2019, SESAME issued its third call for proposals – the closing date is 27 January (13:00 Amman time).
After a lively discussion led by SESAME’s Scientific Director, Andrea Lausi, participants were taken on a tour of the Centre’s accelerators, control room and beamlines.
On 7 October 2019, SESAME signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Association.
AArU aims at coordinating efforts among Arab universities and international conferences to support and encourage the activities of students. Among its major objectives is cooperation in teaching methods and the promotion of joint research projects, quality assurance and accreditation within Arab universities. It is affiliated to the Arab League, and enjoys official non-governmental partnership with UNESCO.
