The main goal of this project is the development of an inelastic photon scattering spectroscopy that will benefit from the advent of the new generation of ultra bright light sources. The current construction of the free electron laser FERMI by Sincrotrone Trieste, is expected to make available VUV photon pulses with unique characteristics and therefore calls for the development of the proposed technique in Trieste. The idea is to extend the standard transient grating spectroscopy towards higher energies in a way such that nanoscale dynamics may be investigated. This would be extremely interesting to better understand the physics of disordered systems since it will make accessible the mesoscopic kinematic region that cannot be explored by the use of visible laser or synchrotron based instruments. Transient grating experiments at the nanoscale could also allow sensitive probing of interfaces and extremely thin films, as well as heat transport and correlations in nanostructured materials. ERC funding will allow the PI transition from his current position as junior beam line scientist at the Elettra facility, to an independent research group leader status at the FERMI laboratory for conducting experiments that will be relevant to many research fields at the frontier in physics and chemistry.