The First Meeting of Machine Advisory Committee (MAC) and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) for Hefei Advanced Light Facility (HALF) Convenes

Hefei, Anhui, China – 5–8 December 2025

The inaugural joint meeting of the HALF Machine Advisory Committee (MAC) and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) was successfully convened in Hefei, Anhui Province, bringing together 24 internationally renowned experts in accelerator science and synchrotron radiation. Professor Gabriel Aeppli of the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, chairs the SAC, while Dr. Amor Nadji of Synchrotron SOLEIL, France, chairs the MAC. The three-day review was attended by the full HALF management team, along with senior project leaders, system-level managers, and key engineering personnel.

In his opening address, HALF Director-General Academician Donglai Feng provided a comprehensive overview of the project’s mission, scope, organizational structure, and current progress. This was followed by detailed technical briefings from Chief Engineer and Vice Director-General Guangyao Feng on accelerator systems, Executive Director-General and Vice Chief Engineer Xiaosong Liu on beamlines and end-stations, and Chief Construction Officer Yang Pan on civil works and utility infrastructure. With the project approaching its midpoint, civil construction is nearing completion and handover, while hardware development for the injector, storage ring, and beamlines remains firmly on schedule.

Over six parallel sessions, the MAC and SAC engaged with 34 system leaders who presented updates on physics design, key technological advances, and recent achievements. Committee members participated actively in rigorous technical exchanges and in-depth Q&A throughout these sessions. Dedicated roundtable discussions were held on four strategic themes:
(1) potential additional beamlines for HALF Phase-I,
(2) strategic planning for Phase-II beamline development,
(3) AI-assisted scientific data acquisition frameworks, and
(4) models for industrial-user collaboration.

These discussions yielded forward-looking and actionable recommendations, which will be formally integrated into the project's ongoing planning processes.

In their concluding assessment, the committees commended the HALF project for its significant scientific importance and the substantial progress achieved to date. They particularly highlighted the project’s efficient management, highly motivated team, and rigorous approach to risk control. The committees also provided constructive guidance on technical optimization, risk mitigation, talent development, future scientific directions, and enhanced international collaboration. This advice will be instrumental in sustaining the project’s momentum and strengthening its global scientific impact.

Academician Donglai Feng expressed his sincere appreciation to the MAC and SAC for their thorough and insightful review and affirmed the project’s commitment to systematically implementing their recommendations. To ensure the successful completion and commissioning of HALF by 2028, the MAC and SAC will reconvene on an annual basis.

During the meeting, delegates also toured the HALF construction site, inspected the storage-ring prototype cell and magnet alignment tests, and visited the operational Hefei Light Source (HLS).

As a fourth-generation diffraction-limited storage ring optimized for the low-energy range, HALF is poised to become a world-leading photon science platform within its energy domain. Beyond providing essential technical and scientific guidance, this first joint meeting has established a strong foundation for deeper collaboration within the global synchrotron radiation community.