Molecular Bond: EMSL's quarterly newsletter

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August 2012

Allison A. Campbell, EMSL Director
One of EMSL's most important and unique roles is to build new instrumentation that will advance science relevant to U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, missions. We must be bold in our vision for what new instrumentation is needed to achieve those advances; right now, EMSL has plans for several instruments to be developed over the next five to seven years.

One effort is a microscopy capability – called an ultra-fast transmission electron microscope, or UTEM – that for the first time would extract detailed information at a pico-second time scale, as well as in situ, in extreme conditions, and with high spatial and spectroscopic resolution. A UTEM capability would catalyze advancements in biology, biogeochemistry, catalysis and materials science. We recently completed a workshop report outlining science drivers for an ultra-fast capability. It represents the discussion and insights of almost 40 scientists from around the country who visited EMSL. Engaging leading experts and our users in these discussions of future investments is critical to ensuring those investments align with DOE missions and help address the most critical challenges we face.

We're excited about the science these new instruments could enable, and will be sharing more details with you as they progress.

- Allison

Watch EMSL on YouTube. See the latest video from the iDirector series. EMSL Director Allison Campbell interviews EMSL user and Wiley Visiting Scientist Ron Heeren about his experience collaborating with EMSL to develop the world's first C₆₀ secondary ion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer, or C₆₀ SIMS FTICR MS, and how it will enhance users' research.

EMSL user's paper in top 10. EMSL user Xiaolin Li's paper on lithium-ion batteries in Journal of Materials Chemistry, or JMC, was among the top 10 most read JMC articles for May. The team of PNNL and EMSL scientists performed a portion of the research for the paper at EMSL.

Wiley Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded. Patrick Reardon has been named EMSL's 2012 William R. Wiley Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow. Read more.

We want to hear from you! EMSL is conducting a survey to understand how it can improve its website. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey and answer our questions about your frequency of visiting the site, the type of information you're seeking and how easy it is to find.

Postdoc opportunity. EMSL will open a postdoc position in September for its William R. Wiley Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship. Watch the EMSL e-mail list and website.

Follow us on Facebook. Find out what's happening at EMSL, "like" us on Facebook. You'll be in good company.

Welcome to EMSL's 2012 User Meeting. The annual EMSL User Meeting is Aug. 14-15 in Richland, Wash. Entitled "EMSL Integration 2012: Discovery at the Intersection of Biology, Energy and Environment," this year's meeting offers an interesting and informative agenda. We look forward to seeing you.
Quarterly Summary

To learn about EMSL's achievements, visit our News Center.

Charging up to build a better battery
Li ion image
Researchers want to understand how batteries work and why they gradually wear out. Scientists at EMSL have developed technology to study batteries at a microscopic level under operating conditions, or in situ. They are using this capability to test new materials to eliminate many of the problems associated with today's batteries. Read the full story.

EMSL team earns MT Innovation Award

EMSL Scientist Chongmin Wang and a team of researchers received a Microscopy Today 2012 Innovation Award for developing a multimodal electrochemical probe for transmission electron microscopy. Wang partnered with researchers from EMSL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Hummingbird Scientific LLC to develop the new probe.

Microscopy Today established the award to honor innovative microscopy-related products and methods. The third annual Innovation Award ceremony was held at the Microscopy & Microanalysis meeting in Phoenix Aug. 1. Read more.

Cady joins EMSL as chief science officer
Sherry Cady
Sherry L. Cady has joined EMSL as its chief science officer. Cady is an expert on how microbes living in extreme environments interact with and influence their surroundings.

In her new role, she will guide the science vision for EMSL, a national scientific user facility utilized by hundreds of researchers every year. Read more.

EMSL's photo contest

Be sure to enter EMSL's summer vacation photo contest for EMSL users and staff. Images will be posted on EMSL's Facebook page. Read more about how to enter.

Science highlights

Check out EMSL's Science Highlights. Here are some recent write-ups:
Building it Better

A Living Portrait – A novel technique developed at EMSL allows researchers to characterize, with high sensitivity and in time and space, the metabolite profile of living microbial communities.

Room to Grow – Scientists use EMSL's in situ transmission electron microscope to study a lithium ion battery system using a new yoke-shell design with a silicon/carbon anode.

If you have feedback – ideas, suggestions, questions – about EMSL's The Molecular Bond, please address those to EMSL Communications team at emslcom@pnnl.gov.

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August 2012
One of EMSL's most important and unique roles is to build new instrumentation that will advance science relevant to U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, missions. We must be bold in our vision for what new instrumentation is needed to achieve those advances; right now, EMSL has plans for several instruments to be developed over the next five to seven years. One effort is a microscopy capability – called an ultra-fast transmission electron microscope, or UTEM – that for the first time would extract detailed information at a pico-second time scale, as well as in situ, in extreme conditions, and with high spatial and spectroscopic resolution. A UTEM capability would catalyze advancements in biology, biogeochemistry, catalysis and materials science. We recently completed a workshop report outlining science drivers for an ultra-fast capability. It represents the discussion and insights of almost 40 scientists from around the country who visited EMSL. Engaging leading experts and our users in these discussions of future investments is critical to ensuring those investments align with DOE missions and help address the most critical challenges we face. We're excited about the science these new instruments could enable, and will be sharing more details with you as they progress. - Allison	Watch EMSL on YouTube. See the latest video from the iDirector series. EMSL Director Allison Campbell interviews EMSL user and Wiley Visiting Scientist Ron Heeren about his experience collaborating with EMSL to develop the world's first C₆₀ secondary ion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer, or C₆₀ SIMS FTICR MS, and how it will enhance users' research. EMSL user's paper in top 10. EMSL user Xiaolin Li's paper on lithium-ion batteries in Journal of Materials Chemistry, or JMC, was among the top 10 most read JMC articles for May. The team of PNNL and EMSL scientists performed a portion of the research for the paper at EMSL. Wiley Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded. Patrick Reardon has been named EMSL's 2012 William R. Wiley Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow. Read more. We want to hear from you! EMSL is conducting a survey to understand how it can improve its website. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey and answer our questions about your frequency of visiting the site, the type of information you're seeking and how easy it is to find. Postdoc opportunity. EMSL will open a postdoc position in September for its William R. Wiley Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship. Watch the EMSL e-mail list and website. Follow us on Facebook. Find out what's happening at EMSL, "like" us on Facebook. You'll be in good company. Welcome to EMSL's 2012 User Meeting. The annual EMSL User Meeting is Aug. 14-15 in Richland, Wash. Entitled "EMSL Integration 2012: Discovery at the Intersection of Biology, Energy and Environment," this year's meeting offers an interesting and informative agenda. We look forward to seeing you. To learn about EMSL's achievements, visit our News Center.
Charging up to build a better battery Researchers want to understand how batteries work and why they gradually wear out. Scientists at EMSL have developed technology to study batteries at a microscopic level under operating conditions, or in situ. They are using this capability to test new materials to eliminate many of the problems associated with today's batteries. Read the full story. EMSL team earns MT Innovation Award EMSL Scientist Chongmin Wang and a team of researchers received a Microscopy Today 2012 Innovation Award for developing a multimodal electrochemical probe for transmission electron microscopy. Wang partnered with researchers from EMSL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Hummingbird Scientific LLC to develop the new probe. Microscopy Today established the award to honor innovative microscopy-related products and methods. The third annual Innovation Award ceremony was held at the Microscopy & Microanalysis meeting in Phoenix Aug. 1. Read more. Cady joins EMSL as chief science officer Sherry L. Cady has joined EMSL as its chief science officer. Cady is an expert on how microbes living in extreme environments interact with and influence their surroundings. In her new role, she will guide the science vision for EMSL, a national scientific user facility utilized by hundreds of researchers every year. Read more. EMSL's photo contest Be sure to enter EMSL's summer vacation photo contest for EMSL users and staff. Images will be posted on EMSL's Facebook page. Read more about how to enter. Science highlights Check out EMSL's Science Highlights. Here are some recent write-ups: A Living Portrait – A novel technique developed at EMSL allows researchers to characterize, with high sensitivity and in time and space, the metabolite profile of living microbial communities. Room to Grow – Scientists use EMSL's in situ transmission electron microscope to study a lithium ion battery system using a new yoke-shell design with a silicon/carbon anode.
If you have feedback – ideas, suggestions, questions – about EMSL's The Molecular Bond, please address those to EMSL Communications team at emslcom@pnnl.gov.
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