In most crystals, atoms line up in neat, repeating patterns where every bond and every magnetic moment fall into place. The structure is stable, the magnetism is ordered, and the system rests in balance. But researchers studying a new family of materials called LnCd₃P₃ found something very different. Inside this material, some bonds between atoms become slightly shorter or longer than others, and the triangular geometry of the lattice prevents them from forming an orderly pattern.

What happens when you squeeze DNA? Can pressure reveal something about how our genetic material is packed, protected, and accessed?

Dr. Kushol Gupta, a structural biologist at the University of Pennsylvania, is pursuing this question and found that turning up the pressure might be one of the best ways to peek into how life organizes itself at the atomic scale.

The program supports scientists with “remarkable track records, promising futures and a desire to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift soon after achieving tenure,” according to Schmidt Sciences.

On behalf of the CHESS User Office, we are incredibly excited to welcome Users back to Wilson Lab for our 2025_3 Fall Run Cycle, that will run from September 24 to November 25!

Every year, researchers perform thousands of materials science experiments at synchrotron facilities, seeking breakthroughs in alloy design, affordability, and mechanical performance. These advancements can accelerate growth in various fields from electronics and energy to aerospace and infrastructure.  

The Cornell participants include chemists Nozomi Ando and Steve Meisburger. Experimental work will be conducted at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS). 

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.