Wednesday, 23 October 2024

This seminar will be delivered in Lecture Theatre 1

Speaker: Professor Michael James

Host: Dr Kaye Kang

Title: What Is Brilliant and BRIGHT at the Australian Synchrotron

Abstract: The Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) operates, maintains, and develops a wide range of research infrastructure (worth ~$1 billion) for the benefit of all Australians, including some of the largest research facilities in the country.  The Lucas Heights campus in Sydney hosts the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, the Centre for Accelerator Science and the National Deuteration Facility.

The Clayton campus in Melbourne is home to the Australian Synchrotron, a 3 GeV electron accelerator that is used to generate brilliant beams of infrared and X-ray light for use in a vary array of scientific research – studies in radiotherapy, biomedical imaging and 3-D computed tomography; macromolecular crystallography for the study of the biomolecular basis of disease and the development of new medicines; agricultural, environmental and climate change research; studies in advanced electronics and advanced energy materials; planetary sciences; engineering; advanced manufacturing; and cultural heritage studies.  The Australian Synchrotron currently hosts over 1000 experiments per annum across its 14 operational beamlines and is currently in the middle of the ~$100 million BRIGHT Program to design, build and commission the new suite of next-generation beamlines at the facility.

This presentation will showcase recent capability upgrades, as well as a range of impactful research outcomes from the Australian Synchrotron, particularly in the field of chemistry, and in addition health, advanced and energy materials, environmental and climate change research, and cultural heritage studies.  I will also highlight the new research capabilities from our next-generation BRIGHT Beamlines and look to the future of Synchrotron research capabilities for Australia.

Bio: Michael was appointed to the role of Director of the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne in January 2024 and now leads this international user facility of 220 staff, which hosts more than 5,500 researcher visits and generates more than 600 scientific research articles per year.  In his previous role, Michael led the Science Team at the Australian Synchrotron with responsibilities to operate and develop the original suite of 10 synchrotron beamlines, and to deliver the next generation of 8 synchrotron beamlines as part of the $100M BRIGHT Program.  Prior to moving to Melbourne in 2013, Michael was a Senior Principal Research Scientist at ANSTO in Sydney; Leader of the Chemical Deuteration Laboratory, and Instrument Scientist for the PLATYPUS Time-of-Flight neutron reflectometer that he designed and built at Australia’s 20 MW OPAL research reactor.  With a research background in chemistry, nanomaterials and magnetism, his research interests include numerous areas of neutron and X-ray scattering; predominantly relating to instrument and technique development, and the study atomic and molecular structures of technologically advanced materials.  He has published more than 150 scientific peer-reviewed publications.