The SLAC Accelerator Research Division (ARD) has the mission to develop accelerator science and technology that will enable new accelerators in photon science and high energy physics as well as other fields of science, medicine and industry with R&D aimed at near-term, mid-term, and long-term development.

Accelerator research is a major component of the SLAC mission and the Accelerator Research Division figures prominently in SLAC initiatives.  ARD has three primary scientific goals

• Perform world leading FEL R&D for ultrafast X-ray science and push the boundaries of FEL physics
• Maintain excellence in beam physics research to enable new discoveries in accelerator science
• Grow machine learning and other new accelerator initiatives

and two main supporting roles to:

• Advance critical accelerator-based programs that support LCLS-II, UED, and FACET-II
• Educate the next generation of accelerator scientists

The division is divided into four departments

• Beam Physics
• Free Electron Lasers
• Machine Learning
• Special Projects (LCLS-II commissioning, UED)