The 4th LEAPS-Innov Annual Meeting Wraps Up in Trieste

The 4th LEAPS-Innov Annual Meeting, organized by Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste and hosted by Area Science Park in Trieste, Italy, took place from February 17 to 19.

The event brought together 115 researchers from 10 European countries — Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK — along with participants from California, USA. Representatives from 25 institutions, including research centers, universities, and private companies, also attended. This edition recorded the highest in-person participation in the four-year history of the project, which started in 2021 and will conclude in September 2025.

LEAPS – the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources – is a strategic consortium established by the directors of Europe’s synchrotron radiation and free-electron laser facilities. The LEAPS-Innov pilot project aims to strengthen long-term collaborations between industry and European light sources —synchrotrons and free-electron lasers — that serve tens of thousands of users.

Over three days, the meeting featured parallel sessions where working groups presented and discussed technical aspects of their activities, as well as plenary sessions where Work Package leaders outlined key advancements. All nine Work Packages of the project were represented: seven focused on scientific developments, one on knowledge transfer to industry, and one on project coordination, including scheduling and budgeting. The scientific results presented covered topics crucial for the next generation of advanced X-ray light sources, including magnetic insertions, X-ray detectors, experimental stations, sample handling, and digital data processing.

For Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, hosting the event was particularly valuable, providing an opportunity to showcase its research infrastructure and actively engage with participants. The meeting fostered dynamic discussions and collaborations, further strengthening connections within the scientific and industrial communities.