User Community

Given the pressures of conducting experiments, it's sometimes hard to find time to connect with new potential colleagues, even though they may be working at the next beamline. There are many opportunities for making informal connections with other users and with APS staff; this page lists only a few of the many communication channels at the APS.

Reaching Other Users

• Coffee Cart
  A source of morning sustenance and a chance to see who's been working in the hutch next to yours all night. An APS manager makes the rounds with the Coffee Cart each morning.
• Scientific Interest Groups
  Self-organizing groups of users and beamline staff interested in advancing synchrotron research in a particular area.
• User Science Seminars, General Seminars and Conferences
  Local (and a few external) presentations and meetings.
• Users Meeting
  Annual meeting of the APS Users Organization, with featured scientific talks, updates from APS and DOE management, and special workshops.

Communicating with the APS

• APS/Users' Operations Monthly Meeting
  Updates on strategic planning issues, organizational changes, facility-wide technical issues, etc.
• APS User Organization Steering Committee (APSUO)
  Elected representatives of the Advanced Photon Source Users Organization (APSUO), which consists of all badged users.
• CAT Chat
  Meeting held as needed to inform APS and CAT staff about special operations issues.
• InterCAT Technical Workgroup (TWG)
  Focused technical collaboration and information exchange on beamline issues.
• Partner User Council (PUC)
  Provides advice and recommendations to APS management in matters regarding current and future facility operations and development, and APS-Partner User relationships. 
• Operations Directorate
  Weekly discussion of operations and schedule issues, attended by APS upper management and representatives of the APSUO and PUC.