Equipping Light Sources for the Post-Pandemic World

Prior to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the exceptional operational constraints that synchrotrons and free-electron lasers (FELs) have been adhering to since March 2020 would have been hard for facility staff teams and external users to imagine. Thousands of scientists who regularly travelled to light sources to conduct experiments on the hundreds of beamlines that exist at facilities around the world were unable to make these vital research trips. Full and partial lockdowns meant that facilities had to operate with greatly reduced numbers of staff on site, while travel restrictions prohibited most external users from conducting their experiments in person. Against this backdrop, synchrotrons and FELs swiftly joined the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus by initiating rapid-access programmes for scientists studying the virus and novel new therapies. In doing so, they have been adding significantly to the growing body of knowledge that is supporting the development of effective vaccines and anti-viral drugs [1].