Mission & Goals
The Vital Link
The Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) was established in 1958 to provide a mechanism for access to the special facilities at Lucas Heights by universities and other tertiary institutions and to provide a focus for cooperation in the nuclear scientific and engineering fields. It has a specific mandate to arrange for the training of scientific research workers and the award of scientific research studentships in matters associated with nuclear science and engineering.
Today nuclear science at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre is devoted to supporting activities and research in a wide range of disciplines. These have applications in advanced technology, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, medicine and environmental protection. All are of vital importance to Australia's future.
Many of the techniques and much of the expertise at Lucas Heights cannot be found elsewhere in Australia. AINSE plays an indispensable role in providing universities with access to major scientific facilities and encouraging a national cooperative research effort. It is a role that is efficient and cost effective. Universities are saved from duplicating expensive items of equipment and Commonwealth funding can be directed at one national facility instead of several with sub-critical funding.
Mission
AINSE will advance research, education and training in the field of nuclear science and engineering and related fields within Australasia by being, in particular, the key link between universities, ANSTO, other member organisations and major nuclear science and associated facilities.
Goals
To achieve this vision AINSE will implement strategies in the following key areas:
- access to major facilities
- scientific outcomes
- membership
- networking
We will know that we have achieved this vision when the following goals are attained:
- Goal 1
By the end of 2008 members will have access to the Australian major nuclear and related research facilities and some overseas, through AINSE. - Goal 2
By the end of 2008 the research performance of our scientific outcomes will have increased substantially. - Goal 3
By end 2008 all universities in Australasia, the some sections of CSIRO, many major museums, many non teaching hospitals and a significant proportion of the scientific institutes in Australasia will be members of AINSE. - Goal 4
By the end of 2008, we will have expanded AINSE's existing set of excellent scientific networks.