Hartill’s legacy at Cornell spans more than five decades. His work included some of the most transformative developments in the university’s physics research infrastructure, researchers at Cornell’s Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory said. As a physicist, engineer and leader, he played a central role in the design and operation of the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR), helped shape the success of the CLEO high-energy physics program, and contributed to the founding and growth of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), they said.

Héctor Abruña, the Émile M. Chamot Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences has been awarded the 2025 Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. The biennial prize, announced May 15, “recognizes an individual for exceptional and original research in a selected area of chemistry that has advanced the field in a major way.”

We look forward to welcoming users back to the lab for the 2025_2 run cycle, which will run from April 23 to June 24, 2025. 

Don’t forget to submit Rapid Access proposals on select beamlines for a chance at beamtime in 2025_2.  

We’re also excited about the CHESS User Meeting  (remote or hybrid format still TBD) on June 3, 2025, which will be followed by workshops on June 4. More information to come soon! 

The event drew nearly a full house, with attendees ranging from CLASSE researchers, staff, and students to members of the wider Cornell and Ithaca communities.

The film, which features never-before-seen archival footage and interviews, traces Wilson’s extraordinary journey—from his pivotal role in the Manhattan Project to his visionary leadership in the development of particle accelerators - including the Cornell Synchrotron that bears his name - and his lasting impact on cancer treatment through the invention of proton therapy.

This spring, teams installed specialized X-ray mirrors and a phase plate system for the new High Magnetic Field (HMF) beamline, carried out ultra-high vacuum work in the experimental cave, replaced aging plumbing and magnet arrays in the accelerator tunnel, and test-fitted a prototype compact wiggler—advancing both short-term reliability and long-term innovation at CHESS.

Cornell researchers have uncovered a way to control these transformations in metal solidification by adjusting alloy composition, ultimately leading to stronger, more reliable metal parts.

Fuel cells efficiently convert hydrogen and oxygen directly into electricity, with catalysts playing a crucial role in accelerating the process. Platinum has long been the preferred catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction due to its efficiency and durability, but its high cost limits widespread adoption.