AUSTRALIAN SYNCHROTRON UPDATE -- JANUARY 2006
News from the Australian Synchrotron project, featuring:
1. Commissioning Progress
2. Installation Progress
3. Beamline News
4. Users News
5. Relationships with International Facilities
6. Industry News
7. Coming Events
8. More information: Australian Synchrotron contact details
9. How to subscribe / unsubscribe to Australian Synchrotron Update
1. COMMISSIONING PROGRESS
Following on from the news of the first electrons in the linac on 15 December, announced in the December issue of "Synchrotron Update", the Australian Synchrotron project delivery team achieved the first electrons emitted from the linac at an energy of 100 MeV (11 January). Photographs marking the event are at: /content.asp?document_id=4354
In the last few days, the electron beam has reached the end of the linac-to-booster transfer line. Congratulations to all involved, especially Greg LeBlanc and his Accelerator Physics Group.
2. INSTALLATION PROGRESS
During January, Toshiba moved the four high-power klystrons into their final position in the storage ring, and has begun low-voltage testing.
The twelfth (of 14) set of magnets has been installed, the 6th straight vacuum vessel, and the 9th arc vacuum vessel.
3. BEAMLINE NEWS
The Western Australian Government announced on 31 December 2005 that it would form a consortium with two WA universities (the University of WA and Curtin University) to contribute a total of $5 million in beamline funding, bringing total commitments by our funding partners to $40 million.
Other funding partners are: Queensland consortium, New Zealand, ANSTO, the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, CSIRO, the University of Melbourne, and Monash University ---each contributing $5 million to the initial beamlines. Victorian Innovation Minister, John Brumby, said of the announcement that it was another major step towards the goal of a truly national synchrotron facility serving the R&D community Australia-wide.
Media releases at: /content.asp?Document_ID=4350
BL4, Small and Wide Angle Scattering: Dr Nigel Kirby began work as the SAXS Beamline Scientist on 6 January and is already well under way with the design process. Nigel would welcome input from users into the design over the next month. Please email comments direct to Nigel Kirby at [firstname].[lastname]@synchrotron.vic.gov.au
BL6, Soft Xray Spectroscopy: The contract for the soft x-ray beamline has been awarded to FMB of Germany.
BL 9, Microspectroscopy: Dr David Paterson commenced in January as the Microspectroscopy Beamline Scientist. David was previously working as the beamline scientist for intermediate energy microscopy and coherent imaging at the Advanced Photon Source in Chicago, and says he's relishing the opportunity to "work on a beamline with spatial resolution below 1 micron".
BL 10, Imaging and Medical Therapy: A seminar will be held at the Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, on Tuesday 14 February, 3.00pm, on "Medical Imaging and Therapy at the ESRF", conducted by Prof Pekka Suortti, Department of Physical Sciences, University of Helsinki and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, France. Email: contact.us@synchrotron.vic.gov.au for more information.
4. USERS NEWS
Tender for Australian Synchrotron Operator
The first stage of the public tender for the role of Operator of the Australian Synchrotron closed on Wednesday 4 January 2006. Submissions will be evaluated by an independent panel of experts. The panel will finalise its recommendations for shortlisted organisation/s, and the Request for Tender is scheduled to be issued at the end of February 2006.
Australian Synchrotron Science Director
Applications for the position of Science Director for the Australian Synchrotron have been received by KPMG and are being evaluated by an independent panel.
Queensland Users Group
Synchrotron users and supporters in Queensland are keen to establish a Queensland Synchrotron Users Network - QSun. If you're interested in being part of such a network, email sophie.betts@sd.qld.gov.au.
For Victorian Synchrotron Supporters
The Australian premiere of a film about Beethoven that follows the story of a lock of the composer's hair -- including synchrotron analysis at the Advanced Photon Source in Chicago, and interviews with the researchers who revealed the cause of Beethoven's death --- will be shown at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne, on Sunday 12 February, 9pm, $13 adult. Book online or phone (03) 8663 2583. More details at: http://www.acmi.net.au/news/794591990E2C45F0A127DBF802C49374.jsp
Decadal Planning for Synchrotron Capabilities
As mentioned last month, the Australian synchrotron science community has formed an expert subcommittee to examine and provide advice on future trends for synchrotron science and associated needs and developments for the next decade. The committee needs your input! Lodge your response on-line from the following page: /content.asp?Document_ID=4293
The terms of reference for the committee are as follows, and more details are available on the web page:
* Identify emerging science trends
* Suggest future beamline requirements
* Recommend a development strategy for using new methods
* Evaluate requirements for ongoing access to international facilities
The initial consultation round will conclude at the end of February.
Users Workshop
The joint ASRP - Australian Synchrotron Users Workshop was held 5-7 December 2005. A brief report on the meeting, photographs and download links for the XAFS workshop presentations, can be found at:http://www.ansto.gov.au/natfac/news_1.htm, and there are more photos at: /content.asp?Document_ID=4205
Victorian Government Awards for Research
Totalling over $250,000, the Victoria Prize and Fellowships celebrate science and innovation in Victoria. The Victoria Prize of $50,000 is awarded to an individual and $100,000 goes to the institute that has supported the work of the Victoria Prize winner. Six Victoria Fellowships, at $18,000 - $23,000 each, enable early career Victorian researchers and innovators to travel overseas to undertake international study missions.
Details at: www.business.vic.gov.au/vicprize and www.business.vic.gov.au/vicfellows. Applications open on 11 February and close on 10 April.
Premier’s Award for Medical Research provides a total of $40,000 in prize money to a Victorian PhD student or recent PhD graduate who has made an exceptional contribution to any field of medical research. Applications opened 28 January 2006 and close 7 March 2006. For application forms and more information, visit www.business.vic.gov.au/premiersaward.
5. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Swiss Light Source
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Swiss Light Source, represented by the Paul Scherrer Institute, was signed by both parties during January.
International Visitors
During January we welcomed Dr Eli Opper, Chief Scientist, Israel for a technical visit to the Australian Synchrotron.
6. INDUSTRY NEWS
The Australian Synchrotron National Industry Advisory Committee (NIAC) is overseeing the initial implementation of a marketing strategy for the operational facility. NIAC is an industry-based committee providing strategic and technical input to ensure that the Australian Synchrotron will meet industry needs both in terms of technical capability and user systems, as well as promoting synchrotron science to potential industry users. Dr Denis Wade chairs NIAC, and its terms of reference and membership are available on the website. For more information, email contact.us@synchrotron.vic.gov.au.
7. FORTHCOMING EVENTS
"Medical Imaging and Therapy at the ESRF"--- A seminar at the Australian Synchrotron, Tuesday 14 February, 3pm: A seminar will be held at the Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, on Tuesday 14 February, 3.00pm, on "Medical Imaging and Therapy at the ESRF", conducted by Prof Pekka Suortti, Department of Physical Sciences, University of Helsinki and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, France. Email: contact.us@synchrotron.vic.gov.au for more information.
SRI-2006, Korea, 28 May - 2 June 2006: The 9th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation, Daegu, Korea, http://www.sri2006.org/ . The international SRI conferences are the most comprehensive synchrotron meetings and are an excellent place to hear both novel experimental and instrumentation results. Australian synchrotron users are urged to consider participating.
SRMS-5, Chicago, 30 July - 2 August 2006: 5th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation in Materials Science. Abstract submission deadline is 18 February 2006 for the next in a series of international conferences held every 2 years, bringing together leading-edge synchrotron x-ray researchiners in the materials sciences. The goal is to provide an overview of the latest research developments in a broad range of materials areas, including biomaterials and polymers, electronic and photonic materials, engineering materials, nanostructures, surfaces and interfaces, as well as other topics such as instrumentation and novel techniques. Registration deadline 15 March 2006. More at www.aps.anl.gov/SMRS55.html or contact the Australian representative on the conference advisory committee, Steve Wilkins, CSIRO (steve.wilkins@csiro.au)
SSRL Workshop on Synchrotron X-ray Scattering Techniques in Materials and Environmental Sciences, Stanford, California, 16-17 May 2006. Registration opens 14 February 2006, at: http://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/conferences/workshops/scatter2006/index.php
XAFS-13, Stanford University, California, 9-14 July 2006. 13th International Conference on X-ray Absorption Fine Structure. Abstracts due 15 March, http://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/xafs13
8. MORE INFORMATION
A list of Australian Synchrotron Project personnel can be found at
/content.asp?Document_ID=129.
Email: contact.us@synchrotron.vic.gov.au
Telephone: Freecall 1800-797-818 (city office); (03) 8540 4100 (site
office) (International +61-3-8540 4100).