iThemba LABS and Necsa are currently coordinating a number of mini-symposia as part of our commitment to the BrigthnESS2 collaboration. These mini-symposia will be conducted virtually and everyone is welcome to participate.
The symposia runs from August - September 2020
Next date: Monday 28 Sep 14h00 - 16h00
Nanomaterials
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/98888752739
See below Table of Upcoming Symposia
The Programme and Zoom Link for the upcoming symposia will be shared closer to the event
Contact SA-BrightnESS2 team for more information and program for each mini-symposium:
Andrew Venter : andrew.venter@necsa.co.za
Peane Maleka : pmaleka@tlabs.ac.za
Robert Nshimirimana : robert.nshimirimana@necsa.co.za
Overview
The European Spallation Source (ESS), https://europeanspallationsource.se/, under construction in Lund, Sweden, is a partnership of countries committed to the goal of building and operating the world leading facility for research using neutrons. The capabilities of the ESS facilities will both greatly exceed and complement those of today's leading neutron sources in amongst others flux and resolution. This enables new opportunities for researchers across the spectrum of scientific discovery, including materials and life sciences, energy, health, environmental technology, cultural heritage and fundamental physics.
BrightnESS² (https://brightness.esss.se/) is an integrated program in support of long-term sustainability of the ESS, its community, and the network of neutron sources in Europe and beyond. To emphasize the importance of access to global infrastructure and global networking that the BrightnESS2 program provides, the South African consortium under the leadership of the Department of Science and Innovation is exploring options to participate in this program.
The collaboration will provide SA researchers access to research infrastructure capabilities not available in the country, but needed to conduct competitive research using neutron science and scattering techniques.
South Africa’s interest in BrightnESS² stems from the fact that it has a long history of research using neutrons provided by the two key national facilities, NRF/iThemba LABS (https://tlabs.ac.za/ ) and Necsa (http://www.necsa.co.za/ ).
Given the focus areas in these facilities, complemented by South African researchers utilising other facilities internationally, there is always an inquisitive need to access alternatives or enhanced capabilities.
Within the SA BrightnESS² program the SA consortium seeks to expand the neutron landscape available to researchers by following a two-pronged approach: 1) assess the activities where SA researchers are actively involved in using neutron-based techniques in their research; 2) to familiarise potential new users to the existing and future research prospects that neutron sciences can offer. The traditional thermal neutron beam line techniques existing at Necsa can be vastly complemented and expanded with the availability of the ESS suite of facilities in scattering based applications with the added enhanced sensitivities of cold neutron beams in the study of pertinent topics in health, biology cultural heritage and agriculture.
The aim of these mini-symposia is to put together a Position Paper as requested by the Department of Science and Innovation that answers the following questions:
ØSWOT analysis specifically related to our research interests and from this identify:
a. What are the compelling science questions and issues that can be addressed with neutron techniques?
b. How can we engage meaningfully in these questions?
c. What are the niche scientific areas that these could contribute to?
d. What is the format of access do we require for South African facilities at Necsa (SAFARI-1) and iThemba LABS, as well as abroad with the ESS?
e. What capacities do we need to develop as a country so that we can optimize the value adding that neutron techniques can offer?
