Linda Young, a leader in the field of atomic, molecular, and optical physics, has accepted the position of Division Director for the Argonne National Laboratory X-ray Science Division (XSD) at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). Linda is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds a Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Linda is a very active user of light sources, including the APS at Argonne and (soon) the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. She currently holds the position of Group Leader in the Chemical Science and Engineering Division at Argonne, and is also an Argonne Distinguished Fellow—the highest technical rank at the Laboratory. 

Argonne Associate Laboratory Director and APS Director Murray Gibson said, “Linda brings to the division director position an outstanding research reputation and an enthusiastic vision for the future of the APS. Linda is currently setting up the first experiment at the LCLS. When she gets back to Argonne in late October, she is keen to engage in APS strategic planning before her formal start date of January 1, 2010.

“I wish to thank Mark Beno for his interim leadership of the X-ray Science Division, and George Srajer for his outstanding work as XSD Associate Division Director for X-ray Operations and Research.  Linda has asked them both to continue to play leadership roles in the XSD management team.”

Young’s research group, in which she will continue to maintain a role, will move to the APS.