Hearing on the ESS Instrument Roadmap

Hearing on the ESS Instrument Roadmap

The Swedish Research Council is organising a hearing as part of its mandate to support the strategic development of ESS and MAX IV. The purpose of the hearing is to review and assess the proposals submitted under the 2026 ESS Instrument Roadmap call, with a view to identifying future Swedish research needs and the corresponding instrument capabilities required at ESS.

Last year, ESS invited the European research community to submit proposals for a roadmap for the next suite of instruments, in addition to the 15 instruments currently under construction. This roadmap will guide the future development of the instrument portfolio and ensure that ESS is able to support a broad scientific programme over the coming decades.

During the hearing, we will analyse and discuss the proposals submitted to the ESS Instrument Roadmap process, with particular attention to those involving Swedish research groups. The objective is to develop a basis for a Swedish position in the ESS Council ahead of decisions on future instruments at ESS. It is essential that this position be well founded and broadly anchored within the research community, and that the process for developing it is transparent and well understood.

The hearing is intended for:

Proposal Coordinators and Contributors
Representatives of Swedish research groups involved in proposals submitted to the ESS Instrument Roadmap process. The proposals comprise conceptual instrument ideas intended to complement the 15 instruments currently under construction. Ahead of the hearing, an assessment will be made of the roles of Swedish researchers in the proposed instruments, the scientific areas they address, and any links to leading research environments, centres of expertise and excellence clusters.

Representatives of the ESS Science Initiatives
Representatives of the four projects supporting early science at ESS. Drawing on their strategic perspectives, they will help identify requirements for new instruments in terms of both capability and capacity, based on current scientific challenges and opportunities.

Representatives of the User Community
The Swedish Neutron Scattering Society (SNSS) will be invited to contribute its perspectives on future user needs and priorities.

Delegates to ESS Committees
Representatives serving on the ESS Council and the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), in order to clarify the links between the ESS Instrument Roadmap process and other relevant ESS processes.

Director Generals for Scientific Areas at the Swedish Research Council (NT, HS, RFI and MH)
To contribute their perspectives on future research challenges of strategic importance to Sweden and to the development of ESS, and to promote awareness of ongoing planning activities and the opportunities offered by ESS.