New executive director appointed at the CLS

The appointment was jointly announced today by the chair of the Canadian Light Source Inc. Board of Directors, Walter Davidson, and University of Saskatchewan President Ilene Busch-Vishniac. Lamb will succeed CLS Executive Director Josef Hormes, who will be leaving the position to focus on leading-edge research projects.

Lamb will also hold a tenured full professorship in the U of S Department of Chemistry.

"We are thrilled to have a scientist of Dr. Lamb's stature lead our synchrotron," said Busch-Vishniac.  "CLS users make an enormously important contribution to research that affects our environment, our health, and the economy.  Dr. Lamb has the management and research experience needed to understand the many dimensions of leading a global centre of this kind."

Currently at the University of Melbourne, Lamb was the founding director of the Australian Synchrotron, leading the successful transition from construction to operation as a national facility, as well as successfully securing the millions of dollars in advancing the facility's growth from an early 250 to 1,500 users.

In addition, having previously served as chair of the CLS's Scientific Advisory Committee, whose mission is to ensure that scientific programs at the CLS are of the highest quality, Lamb is very familiar with the facility.

"Having worked with the CLS team for over three years, I know this is a globally competitive facility, with dedicated staff, excellent researchers, and committed partners and customers. So I'm very excited to be part of the next chapter of its life," said Lamb.

A recognized leader in synchrotron surface science, Lamb has PhDs in chemistry and physics, from the Universities of Melbourne and Cambridge, respectively, and more than 200 scientific publications and 39 patents.

"Professor Lamb brings a wealth of experience in managing and growing a leading synchrotron," said Davidson.  "We know that he will guide the CLS in new and exciting directions."

Davidson thanked Josef Hormes for his leadership of the CLS and the Canadian synchrotron community over the past five and a half years, and for extending his tenure to allow the CLS Board of Directors to find his successor. After more than 20 years of managing large scale research facilities, Hormes wishes to refocus his attention on his academic and research programs.

Mark de Jong, currently director of accelerators, will ensure a smooth management transition as interim executive director, until Lamb begins his appointment.