New Zealand’s Investment in the Australian Synchrotron
New Zealand has joined other shareholders as foundation investors in the Australian Synchrotron, now nearing completion at Monash University in Melbourne. Each contributed AUD$5 million as equity.
The New Zealand investor is the New Zealand Synchrotron Group Limited; a company formed by Auckland, Massey, Waikato, Victoria, Lincoln, Canterbury and Otago universities, Crop and Food Limited, AgResearch Limited and GNS Science Limited. The New Zealand Government is contributing grants totalling some AUD$5 million over five years to assist with the purchase of shares and meeting operating cost obligations. The Government will not be a shareholder in the company.
The other shareholders will comprise various combinations of Australian State Governments and universities. The Victorian State Government has met all capital costs to date and hence is a major investor in its own right. New Zealand’s ownership stake in Australian Synchrotron (Holding Ltd) will guarantee an agreed level of access to beamlines essential to our research interests and a say in the future strategic development of the facility.
The New Zealand Synchrotron Group Limited establishment held its initial meeting in September 2006, chaired by Dr Garth Carnaby. The Royal Society of NZ Inc. is to provide secretariat services and administer the beamline time allocation process and capability development programme.
All enquiries in connection with synchrotron should be directed to Dr Don Smith at the Royal Society (don.smith@royalsociety.org.nz).
How far advanced is the synchrotron?
Scientists began conducting the first experiments at the Australian Synchrotron in April 2007. Five of the nine beamlines are installed, these being the beamlines in greatest demand.
Beamlines in place include those for protein crystallography, powder diffraction, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, soft x-ray science and the infrared beamline.
Latest news on the Australian Synchrotron website
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Why invest in the Australian Synchrotron?
What is a Synchrotron?