SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The more than 50 light sources now in operation around the world include facilities in Brazil, S. Korea, and Taiwan which started their programs in the 1980's when they were developing countries. They came on line in the 1990's and have since trained hundreds of graduate students locally, without sending them abroad and losing many of them. They have also attracted dozens of mid-career diaspora scientists to return. Their growing user communities have demanded more advanced facilities, leading to the funding of higher performance new light sources that are now coming into operation. Light sources in the developing world now include the following:1) SESAME in the Middle East which is scheduled to start research in 2017; 2) The African Light Source, in planning stage; and, 3) The Mexican Light Source, in planning stage.