COMSTECH – SESAME Joint Program; Travel grants

Call for 2026 now open

Flyer attached

SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) is a 3rd Generation 2.5 GeV SR facility in Jordan that was established under the auspicies of UNESCO. It is a cooperative venture by scientists and governments of the region set up on the model of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) although it has very different scientific aims. Since 26 February 2019 when SESAME’s solar power plant was inaugurated, SESAME is the world’s first large accelerator complex to be fully powered by renewable energy, thus making it the world’s first carbon neutral accelerator laboratory. This makes SESAME economically, as well as environmentally sustainable.

There are following Beamlines at SESAME

  1. BM02 – IR (Infrared) spectromicroscopy beamline – this beamline started hosting users in November 2018
  2. BM08 – XAFS/XRF (X-ray Absorption Fine Structure/X-ray Fluorescence) spectroscopy beamline – this beamline started hosting users in July 2018
  3. ID09 – MS/XPD (Materials Science/X-ray Powder Diffraction) beamline – this beamline started hosting users in December 2020
  4. ID10 – BEATS (Beamline for Tomography at SESAME) – this beamline started hosting users in February 2024
  5. ID11L – HESEB (HElmholtz-SESAME Beamline)  – this beamline started hosting users in February 2024

Opportunity for researchers from OIC member states:

The users, with diverse cultural, political, and religious backgrounds can interact on scientific issues and through this build cross-border scientific collaboration, dialogue and understanding. SESAME and COMSTECH are jointly supporting scientists from OIC member states to conduct experiments at SESAME to provide opportunities for collaborative utilization of the SESAME beamlines for a variety of research applications. COMSTECH is offering travel grants annually to SESAME users from OIC member states, especially those from Least Developed countries (LDC).  

Eligibility criteria:

  • Must have an acceptance from SESAME for proposal to use beamline
  • Must be a citizen of an OIC member state
  • Must have a valid passport.

COMSTECH will offer:

  • International low-cost airfare for one return trip per applicant per calendar year to Jordan
  • Support for up to two researchers working on the same proposal may be considered, provided it aligns with maintaining a balanced geographical distribution across benefiting OIC member states.
  • Note: Visa costs (if applicable) to be borne by the candidate himself/herself

Application procedure for proposals to SESAME:  

The users may apply for proposals to the five operational beamlines of SESAME. On-line submission using the SESAME Users Office can be accessed through link below; 

URL: https://sup.sesame.org.jo/pls/vuo/guest.startup

Please, carefully check all instructions and do not hesitate to contact the beamline staff. For more information on how to apply, please visit www.sesame.org.jo. Proposals received by SESAME are evaluated based on their Initial Safety Assessment, Technical Feasibility and Scientific Merit.
Successful applications will be sent to COMSTECH by SESAME.

Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad 
Phone No. : 92 51 9220681-3
Fax : 92 51 9211115, 9220265, 9205264
Email: Khazima@comstech.org

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