20 November 2013
The Synchrotron Light Source Australia (SLSA) Board today announced that Professor Andrew Peele has been appointed Director of the Australian Synchrotron.

Professor Peele has held the role on an interim basis since the beginning of 2013, and oversees day-to-day delivery of world-class science at the facility, for the benefit of all Australians.

The Synchrotron, located in Clayton, Melbourne, is one of Australia’s premier user facilities for science and delivers outstanding outcomes across a broad number of research disciplines.

The facility has been under the management of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology organisation (ANSTO) since 1 January 2013, when the two organisations formed a partnership, building on the long-standing relationship between the two organisations.

The announcement was made by ANSTO’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adi Paterson, and Chair of the SLSA Board and ANSTO Group Executive Nuclear Science and Technology, Dr Greg Storr.

“Great people deliver great results, and I’m very pleased to confirm Prof Andrew Peele as Director of the Synchrotron,” said ANSTO’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adi Paterson.

“Prof Peele has been acting as Interim Director for some time now, and I have great confidence he will continue to steer the Synchrotron in the right direction. “The recruitment process was conducted internationally, and it is a credit to Professor Peele that he was confirmed the best candidate from a very distinguished field of applicants”.

Dr Storr said that, beyond continued delivery of excellent science, the corporate governance processes between ANSTO and the Australian Synchrotron has also been very efficient, including:

• Several major steps completed to enable the continued efficient operation of the Australian Synchrotron, benefitting research and industry users from across Australia and New Zealand.
• Submissions made to the independent nuclear regulator, ARPANSA, and the subsequent progress on the licence review.

“Having ANSTO and the Synchrotron work together builds on the links between the key user facilities our organisations undertake, particularly neutron scattering and synchrotron science,” Dr Storr said.

At a Stakeholder meeting today, following the announcement of his appointment as Director, Professor Peele stated that finalising a strategy for the Australian Synchrotron, with input from its extensive User community and stakeholders who have contributed to its development, was a key component to ensuring the future of the Australian Synchrotron.

“I am confident that the dedicated staff at the Synchrotron will continue to build on the magnificent research outcomes and achievements to date, enabling a bright future for science, industry and the economy,” Professor Peele said.

Links for more information

• For information on the work of ANSTO go to www.ansto.gov.au.
• For information on the Australian Synchrotron see archive.synchrotron.org.au.
• For full membership of the SLSA Board see SLSA Board

Media contact: 0438 619 987

Background

About the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is one of Australia’s largest science organisations and custodian of much of the country’s most important science infrastructure. Well over 1000 scientists, engineers and experts work at ANSTO to answer the big questions in the world around us, primarily through studying basic building blocks of matter at the atomic level.

ANSTO partners with industry, government, the private sector and universities to do a range of advanced medical, environmental, minerals and climate science research; all enabled through the state-of-the-art-technology at our three campuses. At Lucas Heights, in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, we operate Australia’s only nuclear research reactor; in Clayton, Melbourne we operate the Australian Synchrotron; and we have a third Cyclotron facility in Camperdown, Sydney.

Importantly, ANSTO is Australia’s primary producer of nuclear medicine, which is used in diagnosis of heart, liver, bone, kidney and skeletal conditions. One in every two Australians is likely to need nuclear medicine during their lifetime, and 85 per cent of that medicine is produced at ANSTO. Each week 10,000 doses of nuclear medicine are produced at ANSTO and transported to more than 250 hospitals and medical facilities across the country.

As a Federal Government agency, ANSTO provides policy advice to Government on all matters relating to nuclear science, technology and engineering, and supports Australia’s international roles and obligations.