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 and what we need to do 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.

More at: http://sri09.synchrotron.org.au/

Media inquiries please contact:

Jennifer Cook, Group Leader Media, Marketing & Communications on 03 8540 4194, 0400 108 239 or
 jennifer.cook @synchrotron.org.