September 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Australia hosts world’s largest synchrotron conference
For the first time in Australia over 600 international synchrotron scientists will gather in
Melbourne to attend the 10th international conference on Synchrotron Radiation
Instrumentation (SRI09). SRI09, hosted by the Australian Synchrotron, will be held from
27 September – 2 October 2009 at the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition
Centre.
The Director of the Australian Synchrotron, Professor Robert Lamb, said “the benefits of
the insights gained, and collaborations forged at this conference will cascade into new
discoveries offering unique possibilities for industrial and applied research across many
fields. This is a conference about big ideas and the big science we need to achieve
them”.
To promote access to world leading international research and technology in
synchrotron science, the Victorian Government successfully bid to host this conference
at the last SRI conference held in Korea in 2003. The Victorian and Australian
Governments are major sponsors of the conference. The conference is supported by
the Commonwealth of Australia under the International Science Linkages program.
The Victorian Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings welcomed SRI09 delegates to
Melbourne. “The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to promote access between
world-leading international research and technology and Victorian scientists in the
research capital of Australia”, Mr Jennings said.
Professor Ian Gentle, Head of Science at the Australian Synchrotron, said “to host
SRI09 is a great endorsement of our new facility from the international synchrotron
community. The Australian Synchrotron is the first world-class, third-generation facility in
the southern hemisphere; and the international community is keen to see what we have
to offer”.
Presentations from renowned international speakers will include a free public lecture by
Dr Paul Tafforeau, a palaeontologist from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in
France. Dr Tafforeau will reveal amazing three-dimensional images of the hidden details
of fossils at Melbourne Museum on 29 September, at 6pm.
Media inquiries please contact:
Jennifer Cook, Group Leader Media, Marketing & Communications on 03 8540 4194, 0400 108 239 or
jennifer.cook @synchrotron.org.
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