Author: Karyn Jarvis

The deadline for ICNS 2022 is rapidly approaching, on February 14th 2022! . More information can be found at: https://icns2022.org/. ICNS 2022 will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from the 21st to the 25th of August 2022.

Topics at the conference will include:

•Soft Matter
•Biology and Biological Interfaces
•Condensed Matter Physics
•Magnetism and Thin Films
•Solid State Chemistry
•Life Sciences
•Energy and Engineering Materials
•Functional Materials
•Industrial Applications
•Cultural Heritage and Archaeometry
•Neutron Physics
•Neutron Sources and Facilities

The Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) of J-PARC is pleased to announce a call for Long-Term Proposals with beamtime allocations starting from 2022B term.

They are calling for Long-Term Proposals which have clear long-term strategy for research and development and hold the expectation of yielding outstanding results. The validity period is up to 3 years (or 6 proposal rounds); a yearly period of the Long-Term Proposals starts in the B term and ends in the following A term.

Initial Application: From Friday 10th December 2021 – Tuesday 11th January 2022

Final Application: From Tuesday 18th January – Monday 28th February 2022

Any final applications will not be accepted unless the initial application of the proposal has been submitted.

More information can be found at: https://mlfinfo.jp/en/user/proposals/2022L/LTP_application_guidelines.html

At the 2021 ANSTO user meeting, the annual ANBUG award winners were announced. The awards went to:

Career Award – A/Prof Trevor Finlayson, University of Melbourne

For his contributions to new technology and instruments, mentoring. Worked in diffraction and spectroscopy, so across a wide range of instruments. He works in condensed matter physics, shape memory alloys, Sm-Co-based magnets, superconductivity, ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, stresses in engineering materials

Neutron Award – Prof. Elliot Gilbert, ANSTO

For developing the new research program Neutrons & Food. This is recognised in Australasia & worldwide. Also significant contributions through his leadership role in designing, construction and commissioning of Quokka & Outreach.

Young Scientist – Dr. Leonie van t’Hag, Monash University

Dr van ‘t Hag developed a new neutron scattering method that enabled studying the location and conformation of membrane proteins in lipid self-assembly materials of mixed composition. Recently, this was used to optimize the encapsulation and delivery of antimicrobial and viral peptides.

Technical Award – Dr. Norman Booth, ANSTO

Since starting as a Sample Environment Officer at ACNS (formerly Bragg Institute) in 2011 Norman has had two main goals: develop outstanding equipment and providing outstanding support to the facility users. Both goals have been achieved with innumerable examples. The multipurpose chamber for gas and vapour measurements, the simultaneous optical and neutron measurements, like for example simultaneous SANS/DWS experiments devised with colleagues from Auckland University or the near infrared spectroscopy and powder diffraction for planetology research.

PhD Award – Dr. Geman Liang, Univerisity of Wollongong

Gemeng obtained his PhD degree at the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), University of Wollongong, in May 2021. During PhD study, he successfully developed a series of novel high-voltage spinel cathode materials for the next-generation high-energy-density LIBs, advancing the understanding of both performance and mechanistic behaviour of electrode materials with a clear picture. His PhD thesis combines the powerful neutron powder diffraction technique with other cutting edging characterization methods to establish comprehensive and systematic structure/chemistry/function relationships of spinel materials during battery functioning, and is granted with the award of the Examiners’ Commendation for Outstanding Thesis. Both two reviewers are deeply impressed by the broadness and depth of his PhD research and recommend special commendation.

ANBUG congratulates all of the winners!

The 5th Neutron and Muon School will be held online between Dec. 6 – Dec. 9, 2021.

The School provides training for newcomers to neutron and muon beam research from across the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and more. In addition to lectures, practical sessions are included with online hands-on training on some selected techniques.

Date: 6th December – 9th December, 2021
Venue: Online/J-PARC(Tokai, Ibaraki, Japan)
Eligibility: Graduate students, Postdoctoral fellows and Early career researchers from both universities and companies who want to learn about neutron and muon science are encouraged to apply.
Application deadline : 20th October, 2021
Registration fee: Free

Information can be found at: https://mlfinfo.jp/sp/school/5th-nms/about.html