Illinois lab expands Advanced Photon Source with federal funds

(The Center Square) – Thanks to federal taxpayers, Argonne National Laboratory has rededicated its Advanced Photon Source for X-ray research.

The federal government provided $815 million for the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne, which is located southwest of Chicago in Lemont, Illinois.

U.S. Department of Energy Under Secretary Geri Richmond said that with expanded capabilities, the APS will continue to set the bar for X-ray research.

“Our DOE (Department of Energy) national laboratories really are the jewels, the crown jewels of this country in science and engineering,” Richmond said.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said researchers from around the world come to Argonne with their most complex questions, and they leave with answers that drive world-changing advancements.

“The impact of this lab in Illinois and around the world will only grow,” Pritzker said.

The Advanced Photon Source generates ultra-bright X-ray beams. After being inactive for a year, the APS recently reopened with expanded capabilities.

Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns said the upgraded APS will transform scientific research.

“Not only will it shed light on more effective pharmaceuticals and how atoms interact, but also solve some of the biggest mysteries in history,” Kearns saidd.

More than 5,000 researchers from around the world conduct experiments at the APS each year.