In November 2011, a one-day synchrotron symposium at the University of Western Australia attracted more than 100 participants ranging from new students to experienced researchers. Participants came from UWA, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, WA government departments of health and commerce, CSIRO, iVec and Alcoa.

The aim of the meeting was to inform, enthuse and attract new users, while also providing a forum for existing synchrotron users to get together and hear about each other’s research.

Sessions on synchrotron applications in health and industry included presentations from David Parsons (Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital) and Mel Lintern (CSIRO Minerals Down Under), as well as Andrew Peele and Keith Nugent from the Australian Synchrotron.

Networking at the recent WA synchrotron symposium. Photo: Ben Gully, UWA.

Other sessions focussed on the research of WA users in biological, materials and physical sciences (full program available at http://www.crystal.uwa.edu.au/px/charlie/wasun).

Symposium organiser Charlie Bond from the UWA School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences said the format of the meeting worked well, “allowing those with a passing interest to stay for part of the day, while the hardcore synchrotron community stayed for the whole day”.

AS head of science Andrew Peele said the symposium highlighted “the way that WA has used its foundation investor status to grow capabilities across all areas of research at the AS”.

“There has been a clear effort to ensure that a wide array of methods are used – this has been reflected in the growth of new users and the spread of publications from WA researchers.”

The meeting was funded by the WA Department of Commerce, UWA, Curtin University and the Australian Synchrotron.