International Connections
ITER
ITER is an international collaboration to build the first fusion science experiment capable of producing a self-sustaining fusion reaction, as a way of generating a clean, safe, renewable electrical energy. The ITER project will involve the European Union (represented by Euratom, including Switzerland), Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and India.
The Australian ITER forum is currently seeking Australian involvement with the ITER project, not only to secure near-term economic and political benefits for Australia, but to improve Australian science and scientific industry. The training and retention of scientific skills and the fostering of international research links will enhance Australia's overall scientific credentials. For more information see Australian ITER Forum Home Page
ISIS
AINSE, with the assistance of an ARC LEIF Grant and the participation of a small number of members, makes available access to this facility. It is the leading pulsed neutron and muon source located at the UK Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford .
Applications may be submitted by people at AINSE member organisations directly to ISIS . Applications close in mid April and mid October each year.
More information is available on the ISIS web site http://www.isis.rl.ac.uk
Details of Australian use of ISIS is summarised in Section 2 of the AINSE Annual Reports.
Through its Postgraduate Research Scholarship scheme AINSE provides the opportunity for doctoral research students to receive a top up scholarship which will proved a stipend and travel support for research to be done at ISIS .
For more information see ISIS Information
Review of Australian access to ISIS
This document responds to the request by Professor Erich Weigold, Executive Director, Physics Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Australian Research Council of the 14 th December 2005 for the review of funding provided by the Australian Research Council's Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme "Access for Australian Researchers to Advanced Neutron Beam Techniques". Included with this document, as requested, are:
- A strategic plan for the next three years and beyond;
- The publication record (including joint publications) with other participants since the last review;
- The numbers of participating postgraduate students, including completion rates and postdoctoral fellows since the last review; and
- List of user grants including collaborative grants with other participating institutions since the last review.
This submission is based upon the growth of new areas of science and the training of a new generation of students and postdoctoral fellows in those areas. The areas of growth accessed through ISIS map upon areas of scientific and technological strength in Australia, using facilities not available in Australia. The submission notes the complementarity between some of the expected nuclear facilities in Australia through the OPAL reactor and those presently at the ISIS spallation neutron source and at the ISIS Second Target Station in 2007-8 of which there will be no equivalent in Australia.
This submission has been prepared by a group of the principal users of the ISIS facility - Professor Stewart Campbell (University of New South Wales (ADFA)), A/Professor Evan Gray (Griffith University), A/Professor Ian Gentle (University of Queensland), A/Professor Brendan Kennedy (University of Sydney), A/Professor Erich Kisi (University of Newcastle), A/Professor Jim Low (Curtin University), Professor John White (Australian National University) and Dr Allan Pring (University of Adelaide). This submission and the associated proposal for 2007 have the support of the AINSE Council of ANSTO, and, for specific contributions towards the project, of the University partners in the previous and proposed Linkage arrangements.
Access to Major Facilities
The Access to Major Research Facilities Program (AMRFP) supports access by Australian researchers from industry, private and public research organisations and universities to major international research facilities not available in Australia .
ASRP
The Australian Synchrotron Research Program (ASRP) provides Australian researchers with access to state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation research capabilities at overseas synchrotron light source facilities. These are the
- Australian National Beamline Facility (ANBF) at the Photon Factory, Tsukuba Science City , Japan ,
- Advanced Photon Source, at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago , USA , and
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre in Hsinchu , Taiwan .
For more information see ASRP.