19.05.2011

DESY cooperates with SESAME

Today, the directors of the synchrotron radiation source SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) in Jordan and of DESY signed a scientific cooperation agreement. The agreement was concluded on occasion of the “Solar Energy for Science” conference, a two-day event giving scientists and industrial representatives the opportunity to discuss the possibilities of a science and energy partnership between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean countries. In the long run, a considerable amount of energy for Europe could be produced in solar thermal power plants of the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa).

From left: Sir Chris Llewellyn-Smith (President SESAME Council), Klaus Toepfer (Executice Director IASS), Helmut Dosch (Chair of the Board of Directors at DESY), Gretchen Kalonji (UNESCO) and Khaled Toukan (Director-General of SESAME and Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan).

Apart from the cooperation in the use of synchrotron radiation and accelerator technology, both laboratories stressed out their intention to promote joint scientific projects in Europe and the MENA region, thus increasing the dialogue between these parts of the world. Moreover, an exchange of scientists and students is intended.

“This cooperation serves as a model for additional projects in terms of „Solar Energy for Science”, said Professor Helmut Dosch, chairman of the DESY directorate. “With the strengthening of science in the Middle East and North Africa, all of Europe will make a lasting profit from this sustainable development.”

Professor Khaled Toukan, Director of SESAME and Jordan Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, points out: “Signing this MoU builds on previous cooperation with the BESSY research center in Germany which planted the first seed for SESAME through donating the BESSY I machine to SESAME. This MoU moves further into building joint projects to harness synchrotron radiation and solar energy for the prosperity of Europe and the MENA region.”

Already in 1997, DESY accelerator director Gustav-Adolf Voss and Herman Winick from SLAC came up with the idea of SESAME: they wanted to support the development of science in the Middle East with the installation of a dismantled German synchrotron in this region. SESAME was started as an international project in 2003. Participating countries are Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine and Turkey. Meanwhile, with the help of European funds, SESAME has made a substantial expansion and will take up operation as a modern synchrotron radiation source in 2014/15.