Professor Chick Wilson of the Department of Chemistry has been appointed Chair of the Scientific Council of the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, an international laboratory for research into the structure of matter using neutrons.

ILL is the premier reactor source of neutrons for condensed matter research in the world, and has been operating its world-leading programmes of neutron scattering research since 1973. The Institute is constituted as a full user facility and was one of the first such facilities to be operated in this way, offering a model on which many such facilities have since modelled themselves.

ILL operates a suite of more than 30 instruments within its programmes, welcoming some 1200 users per annum to its instruments, supported by an annual budget of some 80 million Euro. The programme at ILL covers a wide range of experiments from engineering to materials science, physics, chemistry and biology, as well as being a centre for the development of neutron instrumentation and techniques.

The Scientific Council is the senior body advising the Institute and its international team of Directors (Professor Andrew Harrison, UK; Professor Helmut Schober, Germany; Dr Jose-Luis Fernandez, France) on the direction of its scientific programme.

Professor Wilson will lead the Scientific Council for a three-year period.

He comments: "It is a real honour to be asked to Chair the ILL Scientific Council. As a neutron user for more than 25 years, I feel a deep commitment to trying to ensure that the neutron scattering programme in Europe retains its world-leading position.

"The ILL Scientific Council has a significant role to play in that, and it is a pleasure to be able to work with the superb scientists at the facility to deliver what is best for the large and vibrant user community."