Carlos A. F. Vaz is responsible for the operation of the Surface/Interface: Microscopy beamline of the Swiss Light Source. At this beamline we operate, develop, and provide user support for soft x-ray photoemission electron microscopy and soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy for fundamental and applied science studies in areas ranging from catalysis to nanomagnetism. We contribute to the development of critical infrastructure for the Photon Science Division of PSI, including x-ray and electron detectors, advanced x-ray optics, and new synchrotron x-ray measurement techniques for the characterization of condensed matter at the nanometer scale. Carlos A. F. Vaz's research interests include magnetism, spintronics, multiferroics, X-ray and electron spectroscopy, and epitaxial growth and characterization of multifunctional materials, with a focus on thin films, heterostructures, and patterned elements of transition metal ferromagnets and complex oxides.