The PETRA III Swedish Materials Science Beamline: confirmed added value for Swedish research
Sweden invests in a broad portfolio of national and international research infrastructures and places strong emphasis on regular, evidence-based assessments of their added value. As part of this work, the Swedish Research Council has today published its review of Sweden’s participation in 34 international research infrastructures during the period 2020-2024.
The Swedish Research Council has published its review of Sweden’s participation in international research infrastructures during the period 2020-2024, where the use and added-value of 34 international research infrastructures was assessed.
The review confirms (bekräftat) the added value of the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline for Swedish researchers. Access to the Swedish beamline (P21) provides experimental capabilities that are not fully substitutable by national infrastructure alone, particularly in the hard X-ray regime. Over the period 2020-2024, Swedish research use of the beamline was assessed as stable.
The report also highlights that the European ecosystem of synchrotron and neutron facilities is dynamic. Swedish researchers frequently use multiple facilities in parallel, depending on scientific requirements such as energy range, beam characteristics, and service levels. In this context, PETRA III and the Swedish Materials Science beamline form part of a broader, complementary infrastructure landscape that includes both national and international resources.
In line with the Swedish Research Council’s governance model, the role of individual infrastructures, including the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline, will continue to be reviewed in light of evolving user needs, scientific developments, and the future balance between national and international facilities. Such ongoing review is an integral part of ensuring long-term value, relevance, and sustainability for Swedish research.
In this context, CeXS strives to continue, in dialogue with the user community, to govern the beamline in alignment with evolving scientific needs and policy objectives.