1. MSc-Student Activities at Institut Laue-Langevin
Workshop on Designing Innovation Ecosystems
26-27 September 2016, Espoo Finland
By Paolo Mutti

2. Neutron for Science: The Institut Laue-Langevin

3. ILL: Founded in 1969
Neutron sources:12 in Europe, 6 in North America, 5 in Asia and Oceania
The ILL is the most intense neutron source in the world, at the service of international scientists to carry out scientific research at the frontiers' of modern science.

4. ILL Reactor A neutron source operating 200 days/year 58.3 MW reactor
Fuel cycle: 50 days
Flux: 1.5 x 1015 thermal neutrons / cm2 / s

5. 50 Years of International Collaboration
Annual Budget: ~ 80 M€
Germany : 25 %
UK : 25 %
France : 25 %
Spain
Italy
Switzerland
CENI (Central European Neutron Initiative, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia)
TRANSNI (TRANSnational Neutron Initiative, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden)

6. Science @ ILL 850 experiments/year 2000 users 38 countries
28 instruments + 10 CRG
650 publications/year
Condense matter physics
Material science
Chemistry
Biology
Nuclear and Particle physics

7. From Fundamental Science to Industry and Society
SANS
Apply basic research techniques
to answer technological questions
Reflectometry
N-Tomography
Proprietary research
Cooperative solutions
Free feasibility studies via SINE2020

8. ILL & Nuclear Medicine 177Lu for lymphoma therapy
Production of long-lived 177Lu isomer
depends on neutron flux.
Waste problem for hospitals!

9. ILL & Drug Design
Neutron studies of HIV inhibitors reveal new areas for improvement in drug design to enhance performance, combat resistance and reduce dosage
HIV-1 protease enzyme is essential in the life-cycle of HIV.
It breaks polypeptide chains to create proteins used for replication and producing new infectious virus particles.
A drug acting on the protease enzyme will in spreading the virus.

10. ILL & The Titanic
Halomonas is a microorganisms destroying the wreck of the Titanic
It survives at a depth of ~3800 m
Neutron scattering experiments were designed in order to understand how ectoine permits Halomonas to survive in their extreme environment.
Understanding microbe adaptation to extreme environments remains a challenge of high biotechnological potential—in bioremediation and waste management.

11. ILL MSc-Student Program

12. MSc-Student Founding
180 month of traineeship from ILL dedicated budget allocated each year
Specific external founding
Erasmus
STFC
EU projects
National balance
Average of about 70 MSc-students/year
Students distribution per division

13. MSc-Student Location & Activities
All trainings take place at ILL
Principal tasks depending on division :
Data reduction / analysis
Simulation
Electronic and software development
Mechanical design
Technical support on instruments
Neutron optics / characterization
Administration (HR, archiving, etc.)

14. Subjects presentation
MSc-student Assignment
Call for proposal
Subjects presentation
Proposals selection
Candidates selection
Traineeship start
September
April
3 month training:
student with 2-3 years
after high school certificate
6 month training:
student with 4-5 years
after high school certificate

15. MSc-Student Activities
X-Ray and Neutron Science International Student Summer Program
4-week experimental project embedded in a research group at ILL or ESRF
Introductory lectures on the principles and applications of X-ray and neutron science
 Great opportunity to get introduced in a scientific field with practical experience
Help to take a decision for the future studies
Discover a world class research facility
 Meet students from all over Europe
 Changed/opened my mind concerning different fields of science

16. Wishes for the Future related to Student Activities
Increase support for foreign students
Improve collaboration within departments
Improve diffusion of training projects
Better contact with universities
especially outside France
Common projects
amongst several
students
Help to find accommodation
and with administrative tasks