Skip to main content
Home
  • Status
  • ⌃Science
    Scientists at the Wilson Synchrotron

    Science

    The following science pages will show how X-rays have become a mainstream tool for examining the structure and function of our material world, with an eye towards designing new materials, solving technological problems, and even curing diseases.

    • Art and Archaeology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Energy
    • Engineering
    • Materials
    • ⌃X-Ray Technology
    • User Stories
    • Science Highlights
  • ⌃Users
    CHESS users

    Users

    CHESS users come from around the world and represent both academic and corporate communities.

    • For Prospective Users
    • User Guide
    • User Portal
    • Beamline Directory
    • Proposal Submission Information
    • Proposal Deadlines
    • CHESS Townhall
    • X-Ray Run Schedule
    • CHESS Status Page
    • ⌃Safety
      • In-Person User Orientation and Safety Training
    • ⌃Technical Resources
      • Affiliated Resources
      • ⌃Calculators
        • X-ray Calculations: Angle Converter
        • X-ray Calculations: Darwin Width
        • X-ray Calculations: Energy Analyzer
        • Ion Chamber Flux Calculator
        • Diode Flux Calculator
        • Calculator for absolute flux measurement using XPD100
        • Characteristic emission lines of the elements
      • Computing
      • Detectors
      • Video Backgrounds
    • Acknowledgment
    • Travel and Lodging
    • Shipping
  • ⌃Facilities
    visiting partners

    Facilities

    CHESS has proposed that the NSF support a “sub-facility” at CHESS. This allows other federal and state agencies, private foundations, academic institutions, and private industry to become partners with CHESS.

    • MacCHESS
    • HMF Beamline
    • MSN-C
    • CHEXS
    • Becoming a Partner
  • ⌃Public
    Schoolchildren touring the underground tunnel

    Public

    With a strong commitment to education, CHESS provides experiences to students, educators and the public that make science familiar and accessible.

    • Events
    • Workshops at CHESS
    • Tours
    • Student Opportunities
    • Lending Library
    • 3D Virtual Tours
  • Industry
  • ⌃About
    Joel Brock

    About

    The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source is a high-intensity X-ray source which provides our users state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation facilities for research in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental and Materials Sciences.

    • Staff Directory
    • Advisory Bodies
    • What we do
    • Job Openings
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • ⌃News
      • CHESS eNewsletter
      • Media Resources
      • News Archive
    • ⌃Publications
      • Publications 2023
      • Publications 2022
      • Publications 2021
      • Publications 2020
      • Publications 2019
      • Publications 2018
      • Publications 2017
      • Publications 2016
      • Publications 2015
      • Publications 2014
      • Publications 2013
      • Publications 2012
      • Publications 2011
      • Publications 2010
      • Publications 2009
      • Publications 2005
    • Beyond the Lab
    • History
Pano Kurt CHESS at Summerhill

Beyond the Lab with Kurt McDonald, CHESS Operator

As a CHESS operator, Kurt McDonald has a full time job. As an integral part of the daily functions of the lab, Kurt’s position involves working with scientists, engineers, and CHESS technical staff to provide visiting researchers with the resources that they need. 

 

Sidebar Menu (Top)

  • ⌃ Status
    • Main CHESS Status
    • Beamline 1A3
    • Beamline 2A
    • Beamline 3A
    • Beamline 3B
    • Beamline 4B
    • Beamline 7A1
    • Beamline 7B2
  • ⌃ Science
    • Art and Archaeology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Energy
    • Engineering
    • Materials
    • ⌃ X-Ray Technology
    • User Stories
    • Science Highlights
  • ⌃ Users
    • For Prospective Users
    • User Guide
    • User Portal
    • Beamline Directory
    • Proposal Submission Information
    • Proposal Deadlines
    • CHESS Townhall
    • X-Ray Run Schedule
    • CHESS Status Page
    • ⌃ Safety
      • In-Person User Orientation and Safety Training
    • ⌃ Technical Resources
      • Affiliated Resources
      • ⌃ Calculators
        • X-ray Calculations: Angle Converter
        • X-ray Calculations: Darwin Width
        • X-ray Calculations: Energy Analyzer
        • Ion Chamber Flux Calculator
        • Diode Flux Calculator
        • Calculator for absolute flux measurement using XPD100
        • Characteristic emission lines of the elements
      • Computing
      • Detectors
      • Video Backgrounds
    • Acknowledgment
    • Travel and Lodging
    • Shipping
  • ⌃ Facilities
    • MacCHESS
    • HMF Beamline
    • MSN-C
    • CHEXS
    • Becoming a Partner
  • ⌃ Public
    • Events
    • Workshops at CHESS
    • Tours
    • Student Opportunities
    • Lending Library
    • 3D Virtual Tours
  • Industry
  • ⌃ About
    • Staff Directory
    • Advisory Bodies
    • What we do
    • Job Openings
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • ⌃ News
      • CHESS eNewsletter
      • Media Resources
      • News Archive
    • ⌃ Publications
      • Publications 2023
      • Publications 2022
      • Publications 2021
      • Publications 2020
      • Publications 2019
      • Publications 2018
      • Publications 2017
      • Publications 2016
      • Publications 2015
      • Publications 2014
      • Publications 2013
      • Publications 2012
      • Publications 2011
      • Publications 2010
      • Publications 2009
      • Publications 2005
    • Beyond the Lab
    • History

“I think our role goes beyond our own personal experiences, so we always have to reach out to the staff scientists, or other experts in our field to make sure that the research continues,” he says.  “We often have to lean on each other to deliver the best possible outcome.” 

Kurt at CHESS
Kurt McDonald in the chem. room at CHESS

With the diversity of expertise at CHESS, there are plenty of resources that Kurt can pull from to learn new skills and get a wider perspective of the lab. “As part of the technical staff, I didn’t truly know what I was getting into while starting at the Synchrotron, but I have taken steps in my career to really see what is happening at the lab, and to gain a wider perspective” 

Outside of the lab, Kurt also pursues the larger perspective by turning what was once a hobby, into a full blown business operation.  After years of homebrewing beer in small five-gallon batches, Kurt with his wife Megan and his parents, have started Summerhill Brewing, a local craft brewery, located about 10 minutes from Cortland and Homer, and roughly 30 minutes from CHESS. 

This past weekend was Summerhill’s grand opening. Their hours used to depend on how much beer was on hand, to now maintaining a 5 days-a-week schedule.   

Kurt at Summerhill
Kurt explains that the brewery may be small in size, but they specialize in good quality beers on Summerhill’s 7-barrel system.

Kurt and his family were able to apply for a NYS farm brewery license. He says that this has prompted them to increase their hobby of home brewing in order to take it to the next level, and has allowed them to serve the beer they produce from their tasting room, while sourcing a majority of the ingredients from New York State.  

“It has definitely provided a lot of opportunity within the state, not just for us, but also for the farmers as a second source of income as they grow the grains and the hops.“

Similar to CHESS, Kurt and his family work closely with other specialists to provide, what Kurt calls “a good service to the community.”  With a sense of pride, Kurt is able to list off the dozens of local farmers and companies that deliver ingredients or supplies for the brewery,  highlighting the wooden details from the tasting room bar; a four-inch-thick slab of sycamore tree that was locally-sourced and milled in Lansing, NY. 

Kurt Summerhill

As part of the CHESS-U Hutch Crew during the CHESS upgrade, Kurt is no stranger to large construction projects, and he was able to gain and extend his electrical, plumbing and mechanical experience during the upgrade. He explains that this helped with the design and construction of the new brewery. “It is big scientific equipment that we use to brew beer these days. I was able to use my experience [at CHESS] towards the PLCs (programmable logic controller), pumps, and all sorts of things that we have at the brewery.”  

“It is pretty cool that I can be here at CHESS from 9-5, doing something extremely technical and then leave here to pour a sample of our beer that was just brewed, for a customer that is extremely appreciative,” he says.  

 

Footer menu

  • Staff Login
  • Web Accessibility Help
  • Contact
  • Feedback
  • CUinfo
  • CLASSE
The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) is operated and managed by Cornell University.
CHESS/Wilson Lab 161 Synchrotron Drive Ithaca, NY 14853
© 2023 Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source