Two leaders from Argonne National Laboratory, Elmie Peoples-Evans and Mark Erdmann, are joining the Lab as part of the ALS-U project leadership team. Peoples-Evans will take on the role of ALS-U project manager, and Erdmann will join as the technical project manager for facility integration and installation.
They join the ALS-U Leadership team of Interim Project Director Dimitri Argyriou, current Project Manager and Technical Director Matthaeus Leitner, Chief Engineer Fabrice Matichard, and Deputy Director for Operations Andrew Netto. Since October 2024, Matthaeus Leitner has served in multiple roles. With the addition of Peoples-Evans as project manager, Leitner can focus on the demands of his role as technical director, including leading the rebaselining of the ALS-U project.
Erdmann will oversee the facility integration and installation technical system, which includes all installation and removal needed for replacing the accelerators, a role previously held by now Engineering Division Director Daniela Leitner. Daniela Leitner will also continue to support the project as Division Director for Engineering, as approximately 50% of the ALS-U project staff are from this division.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Elmie and Mark to the ALS-U project’s leadership team,” said Dimitri Argyriou, interim ALS-U project director and ALS director (on leave). “Their addition to the team brings precisely the kind of experience and realism we need as we enter the most complex and critical phase of our project. Having successfully delivered the Advanced Photon Source (APS) Upgrade, Elmie and Mark will contribute invaluable insights and leadership that will strengthen our project management, help us navigate our greatest challenges, and ensure the success of this transformative ALS upgrade, enabling new science with real impact for society.”
The ALS-U project will increase the brightness of the light by more than 100 times that of the current facility, harnessing world-leading scientific capabilities and serving national interests in advancing breakthroughs in science and technology.
“I’m incredibly excited to join the ALS-U project leadership team at such a pivotal moment for the facility,” said Peoples-Evans. “It’s a privilege to be welcomed by such a talented and experienced group, and I’m deeply honored by the opportunity to help guide this exceptional team. Most of all, I’m inspired by the groundbreaking scientific capabilities that ALS-U will unlock. This upgrade will empower research and open new frontiers for the scientific community for decades to come,” she added.
“I am very happy to become part of the ALS-U project team at Berkeley Lab and honored to contribute to another undertaking of this magnitude. The ALS has been at the forefront of photon science for many years, enabling transformative discoveries and fostering innovation, and with the upgraded machine, we will continue this leadership. I am eager to use the knowledge gained from the APS-U and apply it to this new challenge,” said Erdmann.
Please welcome Elmie and Mark to Berkeley Lab and support them in their roles going forward. “I have every confidence in the Berkeley Lab team to succeed in this important project,” says Dimitri Argyriou.
