Young Investigator Awards
The LCLS Young Investigator Award recognizes contributions from scientists in the early stages of their research career for exceptional research performed with the LCLS X-ray free-electron laser at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
Candidates must have been awarded their PhD less than 6 years before the annual SSRL/LCLS Users' Meeting at which the award is given and be employed no higher than Assistant Professor level at the time of nomination. Nominations are invited from across the user community in advance of the Users' Meeting, with a winner selected by the LCLS User Executive Committee. The winner is invited to present at the SSRL/LCLS Users' Meeting, and receives their award from the LCLS Director.
Nominate a candidate for the Young Investigator Award
Past Winners
2022 LCLS Young Investigator Award: Yijing Huang
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Yijing Huang, a postdoctoral scholar at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, has received the 2022 LCLS Young Investigator Award for her observation of novel photo-induced lattice instability in femtosecond optical pump and x-ray probe diffraction. The award celebrates early-career scientists who perform noteworthy research using SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser. Alongside fellow finalists Archana Raja and Philipp Simon, Dr. Huang presented on "Discovery and characterization of a novel photoexcited lattice instability in SnSe using ultrafast x-ray scattering" at the 2022 SSRL/LCLS Users' Meeting. |
2021 LCLS Young Investigator Award: Aditya Sood
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Aditya Sood, a research scientist with the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences at Stanford University and the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, has received the 2021 LCLS Young Investigator Award for his work combining materials science with ultrafast physics. The award celebrates early-career scientists who perform noteworthy research using SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser. Alongside fellow finalists Yanwen Sun, Siqi Li, and Haiwang Yong, Dr. Sood presented on "Uncovering electrically driven phase transitions using ultrafast operando diffraction" at the 2021 SSRL/LCLS Users' Meeting. |
2020 LCLS Young Investigator Award: Elisa Biasin
Elisa Biasin, a research associate at the Stanford Pulse Institute at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, received the 2020 LCLS Young Investigator Award for her contributions to the field of ultrafast X-ray science. The award is given to early-career scientists in recognition of exceptional research using SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser.
2019 LCLS Young Investigator Award: Matteo Mitrano
Matteo Mitrano, an emerging investigator in the field of quantum materials, will receive the 2019 LCLS Young Investigator Award at the 2019 LCLS/SSRL Annual Users’ Meeting September 24-27.
2018 LCLS Young Investigator Award: Tais Gorkhover
Tais Gorkhover, a principal investigator with the Stanford PULSE Institute, will receive the 2018 LCLS Young Investigator Award, granted to early-career scientists in recognition of exceptional research using the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
2017 First LCLS Young Investigator Award: Kasper Kjaer
Kasper Kjaer is the winner of the inaugural LCLS Young Investigator Award given by the Users Executive Committee of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). The prize recognizes scientists in the early stages of their career for exceptional research performed with the LCLS X-ray free-electron laser at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. “With this award, we’re supporting the new ideas, new insights and new talent at our young facility,” said Mike Dunne, the director of LCLS.
