We are delighted to have brought the European photon science community together at the European XFEL facility for the 9th LEAPS Plenary Meeting on 15-16 October 2026. Two inspiring days of strategic discussions, scientific exchange and collaboration strengthened connections across Europe’s synchrotron and free-electron laser (FEL) facilities and helped shape the future direction of LEAPS. Starting at 9:00 on the first morning, colleagues from LEAPS Working Groups (WGs) and Strategy Groups (SGs) met to revisit topics and share updates face-to-face. These discussions brought new perspectives and helped identify common conclusions, strengthening connections across the LEAPS community.
The SG and WG meetings were followed by the LEAPS Coordination Board (CB) meeting, where the members exchanged views, discussed shared priorities and explored ways to strengthen further collaboration across facilities and the user community. The meetings also marked an important milestone for the association: the establishment of LEAPS AISBL. Alongside reviewing current activities and achievements, participants discussed strategic priorities and explored opportunities to advance joint initiatives across the LEAPS community.
Day 1: Strengthening collaboration and visibility
The first day featured discusion and reports from the General Assembly (GA) session highlighting initiatives such as COORDINA-INNOV, ACCESS2ACCES and Fund RI, RDAB reports and the European Synchrotron and FEL User Organisation (ESUO). Special thanks were extended to Dr Michele Svandrlik for his many years of dedicated support to the RDAB and his valuable contributions to the LEAPS community.
A key highlight of the day was a panel discussion: “Increasing visibility of LEAPS within Facilities (internal visibility/communication)”, focusing on internal communication and engagement. The session featured a keynote speech by Agnieszka Cudek (SOLARIS), with contributions from panellists Lakshmi Bhaskaran (HZDR), Elizabeth Shotton (Diamond Light Source) and Bernd Rech (HZB). The discussion was moderated by Bárbara Calisto (ALBA).
The programme also included poster presentations and a tour of the European XFEL facility, offering participants opportunities to exchange ideas, learn about the host facility and strengthen professional connections. The day concluded with an evening dinner celebrating the establishment of LEAPS AISBL, where a lively quiz on LEAPS history and shared memories sparked plenty of laughter, friendly competition and fascinating recollections from across the LEAPS community.
Day 2: Looking ahead and exploring the role of AI in science
The second day opened with a review of LEAPS activities and achievements in 2025, followed by an outlook on the organisation’s priorities for 2026. One of the key moments was the handover of the LEAPS Chairmanship baton, marking the official transition of leadership from Prof. Thomas Feurer to Prof. Bernd Rech. LEAPS expressed its sincere gratitude to Prof. Thomas Feurer for his professional leadership, commitment and valuable contributions to the association. At the same time, the LEAPS community warmly welcomed Prof. Bernd Rech as the new LEAPS Chair, looking forward to his leadership and the next chapter in LEAPS’ development.
The programme also featured a strategic panel discussion entitled “Science in the Age of AI: What Do Research Ethics Mean in 2026?” The session began with a thought-provoking keynote speech by Frans Geraedts, philosopher and founding partner of Governance & Integrity (G&I), followed by contributions from Christian Gutt (University of Siegen), Matthew Lawson (Savantic) and Nicole Elleuche (European XFEL). Moderated by Thomas Reintjes (European XFEL), the discussion explored the ethical challenges in science and artificial intelligence and their implications for the research community.
The programme concluded with closing remarks from the LEAPS Chairs and a final lunch, bringing two days of strategic discussions, knowledge exchange and collaboration to a close.
Photos: Sven Kamin (European XFEL) and Michal Perdjon (SOLARIS)
