Early Science and Community Building at XLEAP - Workshop
August 5–7, 2026
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
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Synchrotron X-rays for Metals in Plants, Soils, and Environmental Systems
Early Science and Community Building at XLEAP
Workshop Overview:
This workshop brings together researchers from across disciplines to help shape the future scientific direction of the XLEAP beamline at CHESS.
XLEAP (X-rays for Life, Environment, Agriculture, and Plants) is a next-generation beamline currently under construction at CHESS, with user operations anticipated in 2028. This workshop will help define the science, build the community, and identify the opportunities that XLEAP will enable.
Participants will explore how advanced X-ray techniques can unlock new insights into complex biological, environmental, and agricultural systems - while helping guide the development of this new national resource.
Why Attend
This workshop is designed to:
- Identify high-impact science opportunities: Define the most compelling research questions that can uniquely benefit from CHESS X-ray capabilities, including elemental imaging, spectroscopy, structure, and chemical speciation.
- Expand the XLEAP user community: Engage researchers from both traditional and emerging fields - such as ecology, agriculture, environmental science, and food systems - and lower barriers for new users.
- Shape future programs and collaborations: Generate ideas for proposal calls, pilot projects, and interdisciplinary partnerships across institutions, sectors, and scientific domains.
- Prepare for XLEAP operations: Brainstorm ambitious experiments and provide input on sample environments, workflows, and user needs ahead of beamline commissioning.
Who Should Attend
We welcome participants from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels, including:
- Synchrotron users interested in expanding their research into XLEAP science areas
- Researchers new to X-ray methods who are curious about their potential applications
- Scientists working in plant biology, environmental science, agriculture, microbiology, and related fields
- Students, postdocs, early-career researchers, staff scientists, faculty, and PIs
- Anyone interested in contributing to and shaping a collaborative XLEAP community
Scientific Topics
Workshop discussions will build on XLEAP’s core science themes and explore emerging research areas, including:
- Plant nutrient homeostasis and transport
- Plant responses to environmental stress, pathogens, and emerging materials (e.g., nanoparticles)
- Plant–soil interfaces and biogeochemical cycling
- Nutrient cycling in aquatic systems
- Plants and critical minerals
- Food safety and nutritional quality
- Microbiology and complex biological systems
- Practical approaches to synchrotron measurements for life and environmental sciences
What to Expect
The workshop will feature:
- Invited talks and community discussions
- Interactive sessions to define science drivers and research priorities
- Opportunities to propose new experiments and collaborations
- Guidance on experimental design, sample preparation, and data workflows
- Networking with researchers across disciplines and sectors
Looking Ahead
As XLEAP moves toward first user operations in 2028, this workshop is an opportunity to:
- Help define the scientific vision of the beamline
- Build collaborations early
- Ensure the facility is designed to meet real user needs
- Establish a strong, inclusive, and interdisciplinary research community
For more information about this workshop, please contact XLEAP Project Scientist Louisa Smieska.