SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre is pleased to announce the Crosscarpatian Synchrotron School (CSS2026), taking place from Wednesday, 16th to Saturday, 19th of September 2026 in Kraków, Poland.
The CSS2026 is aimed at students, postdoctoral researchers, and senior scientists who have no experience in the field of synchrotron radiation or dedicated synchrotron techniques. This year’s edition will have a thematic focus on soft X-ray and spectroscopic techniques, offering participants both theoretical and practical knowledge.
The program will consist of a concise introduction to synchrotron radiation, an overview of synchrotron experimental methods with particular emphasis on spectroscopic applications in various research fields, as well as hands-on training at SOLARIS infrastructure. In this edition, we additionally offer an advanced proposal‑writing module, during which participants will develop a nearly complete beamtime application ready for submission.
Lectures and practical training will cover the following topics:
- Synchrotron radiation and its interaction with matter
- Photoemission and absorption spectroscopy
- Imaging techniques
- Microscopy and spectromicroscopy
- Advanced workshop on preparing and writing proposals
Practical sessions:
Participants will have the opportunity to take part in two one-day workshops on selected beamlines. Each participant will choose an experimental station for full training, including experiment design, sample preparation, measurements, and data processing.
Available beamlines for hands-on training include:
DEMETER, PIRX, URANOS, PHELIX, POLYX, and ASTRA.
Participation details:
To ensure effective knowledge transfer and hands-on experience, the number of participants is limited to 18, with a maximum of 3 people per beamline. Selection will be based on recommendations from the Scientific Advisory and Organizing Committees.
Participation in CSS2026 is free of charge, and accommodation, transport and catering will be provided. As a deliverable, we expect each participant to prepare and submit a beamtime proposal to SOLARIS for the next call, aiming for positive recommendations and future beamtime allocation.
