Dear ECSJ 2026 participants,
I cordially invite you to arrive in Northern Germany early and visit one of the world's most extreme light sources near Hamburg on the Tuesday before the conference begins.
In close collaboration with the European Federation of Science Journalism (EFSJ), we have put together this pre-conference day trip.
As a former science journalist, I am excited to welcome a group of international science journalists to European XFEL, where I now work as a communications officer and science writer. Our facility itself is a very international place. Currently, 12 countries have signed the European XFEL convention: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Researchers from around the world come here to conduct experiments using our unique X-ray pulses. Our staff of over 600 people hold citizenships of 68 countries. International collaboration in science will certainly be a key theme of your visit.
During their beamtime, many scientists stay at our Guest House on campus. If you're planning to arrive the day before, on 12 October, we have some spare rooms that we can make available to you. Otherwise, a bus transfer from Hanover will be available on the morning of 13 October.
European XFEL is the world's largest X-ray laser. Research conducted here includes mapping the atomic details of matter, deciphering the molecular composition of cells or viruses, capturing three-dimensional images of the nanoworld, “filming” chemical reactions, and studying processes such as those occurring deep inside planets. You can learn more about this during a tour of our visitor centre and the underground experimental hall. In the afternoon, our staff scientists will provide insights into the creation of some of the world's fastest cameras, i.e. our detectors that can take attosecond snapshots, as well as on imaging quantum effects and research related to fusion energy (all to be confirmed - feel free to suggest other topics in the registration form).
I'm looking forward to the conference in Hannover, and to spending the day before here with you!
