SLAC [3] was established in1962 at Stanford University [4]. The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory [5] and home to a two-mile linear accelerator [6]—the longest in the world. Originally a particle physics research center, SLAC is now a multipurpose laboratory for astrophysics, photon science, accelerator and particle physics research and home to some of the world’s most cutting-edge technologies used by researchers from around the world to uncover scientific mysteries on the smallest and the largest scales—from the workings of the atom to the mysteries of the cosmos.
SLAC is at the frontier of scientific discovery. With its range of diverse programs and facilities and exceptional researchers, SLAC is at the forefront of groundbreaking discoveries across the sciences, from astrophysics and accelerator research to chemistry, materials and energy science.
The lab’s core competencies are:
- Electron-based accelerator research and technology
- Advanced instrumentation, diagnostics and systems integration
- Theory and innovative techniques for data analysis, modeling, and simulation in Photon Science, Particle Physics and Particle Astrophysics
- Management of ultra-large data sets for users and collaborations distributed worldwide
Evidence of their success? Nearly 3,400 scientists from around the world use SLAC’s facilities each year, 275 universities make use of the lab’s resources, 6 scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize [7] for work carried out at SLAC and over 1000 scientific papers [8] published each year in peer-reviewed journals based on research conducted at SLAC.
Congratulations to SLAC on its 50th anniversary [9]. Who knows what great things the next 50 years will bring? One thing is for sure: equipped with state-of-the-art facilities [10] and an advanced suite of scientific tools and expertise, SLAC is poised to welcome a frontier of discovery unlike any other in the lab’s fifty year history.