Oxford University academic Andrew Richards joins Diamond Light Source, Harwell,
Source: Pete Hughes
AN OXFORD University academic has jumped ship to join the Diamond Light Source laboratories in Harwell.
Andrew Richards has quit his post leading the university's Advanced Researching Computing facility to become Diamond's head of scientific computing.
His appointment comes hot on the heels of the facility's new 'head of beamline controls', Ulrik Pedersen, who took up post in September after a decade at Diamond.
Diamond is essentially a giant microscope, and claims the title of the UK's national 'synchrotron'.
At the centre of the facility, a huge ring-shaped particle accelerator fires electrons around at fantastic speeds, forcing them to emit a light 10 billion times brighter than the sun.
This light is directed off to labs clustered around the ring in so-called 'beamlines'.
Mr Pederson is now in charge of controlling those brilliantly bright beamlines, and Dr Richards is in charge of the facility's IT development.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Richards said: "It’s an exciting time to join the team at Diamond Light Source.
"My role will be to lead sustainable and cutting edge developments in IT to support the invaluable, pioneering research across the facility into the future."
Diamond’s CEO Andrew Harrison said: "With their many years of experience in developing e-infrastructure and software development, Andrew and Ulrik are great additions to the Diamond team.
"They and their colleagues provide vital support to the globally important research conducted at our facility and ensure we are well placed to serve the international science community."
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