[News-releases] TRIUMF forges new research and technology
partnership with India
Tim Meyer
tmeyer at triumf.ca
Thu Aug 7 12:45:16 PDT 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
** TRIUMF forges new research and technology partnership with India **
VANCOUVER, BC (August 7, 2008) TRIUMF, Canadas national laboratory for
particle and nuclear physics, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) from Kolkata,
India to establish a technology, research and trade partnership in advanced
materials, physics, and life sciences technologies.
This agreement formalizes a collaborative research and development
partnership between these India and B.C.-based laboratories to share
resources and technical expertise in superconducting radio-frequency
accelerator technology. Canada has recently changed its policy on nuclear
science and technology with India to enhance this type of collaboration.
Featuring an initial $2.25 million investment by TRIUMF and VECC, this
collaboration will generate new business in B.C. and spur developments in
cancer diagnosis, the study of materials and nuclei, and medical-isotope
research. The agreement will also include the exchange of scientists from
India and Canada to share knowledge and experience in building accelerators.
Through this partnership, we will design and build a revolutionary new
generation of accelerator that will impact physics, materials science, and
nuclear medicine. This partnership puts B.C. at the forefront of physics
research and discovery, noted Nigel Lockyer, TRIUMF Director. TRIUMFs
ongoing success in research, development, and commercialization is based on
our reputation for investing in people and fostering the international
exchange of innovative ideas through collaborations like this one.
Bikash Sinha, Director of the India-based VECC laboratory looks forward to
the partnership with a Canadian-based laboratory. Todays agreement
represents the partnership of two of the worlds leading laboratories for
advanced accelerator technology. By working together, we expect to increase
the economic, social, and environmental benefits that can be realized
through this research, said Sinha.
The agreement builds on the spring 2008 success of a team of scientists and
engineers from TRIUMF and Richmond, B.C.-based PAVAC Industries, Inc., in
fabricating the first superconducting cavity. It was the combination of
this technology demonstration and TRIUMFs reputation that drew VECC into
the partnership. The TRIUMF team will be leveraging its resources with
those from VECC with this agreement, thereby keeping Canada at the forefront
of this rapidly growing area of science, technology, and innovation.
Donald Brooks, Associate Vice-President Research for the University of
British Columbia congratulated TRIUMF and VECC. This new partnership will
facilitate the increased exchange of knowledge and expertise between India
and British Columbiafurther strengthening our ties with the Asia Pacific
region. Collaborations of technology, education, and innovation like this
are vital to our economy and in achieving new scientific understanding,
said Brooks.
-ends-
About Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC)
The Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) is one of five premier research
and development units of Indias Department of Atomic Energy. Located in
Kolkata, the laboratory is dedicated to carry out frontier research in the
fields of accelerator science and technology, experimental and theoretical
nuclear science, materials science, and computer science and technology.
The Variable Energy Cyclotron, for which the laboratory is named, is a large
cyclotron accelerator built in India in the 1970sthe first of its kind in
that country. It is used by researchers from all over the world. VECC is
also a major producer of accelerator-generated medical isotopes.
www.veccal.ernet.in
About TRIUMF
TRIUMF is Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics.
Based in Vancouver, the facility is a worldclass physics research
laboratory. TRIUMF hosts scientists from around the globe who conduct
fundamental research in advanced materials, life sciences, particle and
nuclear physics to understand the building blocks of our world. TRIUMF is
funded by a contribution via the National Research Council Canada, support
from the Province of British Columbia and commercialization of research at
the facility. It is jointly operated by seven Canadian universities,
University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Carleton University,
lUniversité de Montréal, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto,
University of Victoria.
www.triumf.ca
For more information:
Whitney Stanford
Hill & Knowlton Canada
604.692.4223
whitney.stanford at hillandknowlton.ca
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Timothy I. Meyer, Ph.D.
Head, Strategic Planning and Communications
TRIUMF
4004 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 2A3
Tel: 604-222-7674
E-mail: tmeyer at triumf.ca
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