STO’s Future Plans for Nuclear Science & Technology

DR LAN BLACKBURNE

Chairman, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

S-Y.

1) How ANSTO plans for the fu~e-within its established ‘core business areas’ (CBAs), following a rigorous process,  and incorporating extensive interaction with organisations around Australia and overseas.

There are four key themes in ANSTO’s future plans for nuclear science and technology (S&T):

2) The replacement research reactor (RRR)--- a Major National Research Facility and the cornerstone of ANSTO’s future  activities.

3) Business-A number of business development initiatives have been launched by ANSTO over the past year, under the  b m e r  of “Good science is good business at ANSTO’.

4) National Research Priorities-ANSTO is contributing to the national research priorities that the Prime Minister  announced last December. In particular, it is pursuing new plans in the security and forensics area wittun the ‘Safeguarding  Australia’ national research priority.

1. ThePlanningProcess

ANSTO undertakes its activities within the -framework of  its strategic plan, vision and mission and the organisation  is currently mid way through a strategic plan that began  in 2000 and goes to 2004-2005. To fullil its vision and  mission, ANSTO has set a number of strategic goals  focussing on timely delivery of scientific advice to

government and other stakeholders; llfilling Australia’s  national and international nuclear obligations; advancing  Australia’s interests through international nuclear science  and technology and its applications; enhancing and

improving core nuclear science and technology based  facilities to produce research, products and services at the  highest possible standard; and contributing to new  knowledge in relevant research areas and improving

business performance. Of course, in all ANSTO  operations, ANSTO’s first core values are safety and  quality.

ANSTO’s strategic goals are structured into six core  business areas (CBAs). The CBAs are:

0 International strategic relevance of nuclear science  and technology

Core nuclear facilities operation and development

Nuclear science for environment and sustainability

Treatment and management of man-made and  naturally occuning radioactive substances

Sustainability and international competitiveness of  industry

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0

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0 Organisational development and support.

All activities at ANSTO, including research, business or  support services, are carried out within one of these  CBAs, and therefore only those proposals that fit under  one of these areas are considered. The activities are  undertaken as projects and typically m for three years.  “hIs length of time enables researchers to conduct well-  founded and well-mctured research, and to disseminate

and where possible implement findings. For projects  where M e r  work would be of demonstrable value,  either scientifically or through to commercial returns,  projects may be restructured to focus on new goals and

thus continue. As a n m b r  of new projects begin and  end each year, ANSTO is constantly evolving an$  refocussing on current developments in the application of  nuclear S&T, as well as the expectations of government,  community and the market.

Ideas for new projects are initiated from a wide variety  of sources and are proposed by individual researchers,  research teams, ANSTO mmagement and board, and  other stakeholders. As described, it can often build on, or  be a refocussing of, previous work. For example, the  work on synroc from 1979 has led to on-going research

and considerable know-how in the areas of cerrUnics and  nanotechnology - areas in which ANSTO is now  internationally recognised. New ideas may reflect new  priorities in government or the wider community. For  example, the national research priorities are driving  ANSTO’s new, stronger focus on forensics and security.

Similarly, opportunities may be identified from using  ANSTO facilities and expertise to enter emerging science  areas and so on.

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The proposer of a project, (the ‘project champion’) will  initially workshop the idea to produce a project  definition. Such workshopping will often involve people  and collaborators from within ANSTO, around  Australia and overseas. The project champion

documents what the project is about, its background,  objectives, expected outputs and outcomes, scope and  stakeholder drivers. He or she looks at the required  resources and related factors. He or she also has to show  how it relates to ANSTO’s core business areas as well as  ANSTO’s mandate and mission. This is an interative  process. It may be appropriate to hold off starting a  project until a later y e q  perhaps when resources become

available, the scientific argument is more persuasive or  the project is refocussed to better match ANSTO’s  mandate.

2. Collaboration

A consistent element in all ANSTO projects is  collaboration. ANSTO’s partners in collaboration span  industry and universities, as well as other R&D science  and technology organisations such as CSIRO, the  Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO),

Geoscience Australia and Cooperative Research Centres  (CRCs). In order to appeal to collaborators across the  board fi-om private industry to publicly funded agencies,  ANSTO believes that it is vital to have various models of  collaboration fi-om which to choose the best match to the  requirements of all parties. Considerations in  collaborative research include not just the facilities,  expertise and resources to do the science but also issues

arising from IP ownership and potential commercial  return. When looking at fiture research opportunities,  ANSTO asks, “Who are the best three organisations in  th~s area in Australia, or in the world?” They are the ones  the Organisation wants to work with.

Such models include (but are not limited to) the  AINSE model of collaboration with universities; the  Bragg Institute; individual ‘umbrella’ agreements such as  memoranda of understanding; user groups (for example  those involving beamline facilities); external programs;  fimding schemes (ranging fi-om those run by the

Australian Research Council to International Atomic  Energy Agency programs); adjunct staff positions at  universities; and co-location, such as at the ANSTO  Technology Park.

The Bragg Institute was launched a year ago as a  specific vehicle for “ANSTO in partnership” with  universities, other R&D and science and technology  organisations and with industry. Through the Bragg  ktitute ANSTO is establishing a joint Centre for

Structural Biology and Chemisby at the University of  Sydney. It will offer high-level fellowships and a joint  lectureship in chemistry, among other joint activities.  The Bragg Inatute also has joint postdoctoral  arrangements with Curtin University of Technology and  the University of NSW, and staff-visit agreements with  Bio2 1 in Victoria. The Institute has a strong emphasis on

international relationships, to ensure Australia attracts the

world’s leading scientists to

use the replacement research

reactor and perhaps join the ANSTO team. It aims to  bring together neutron scattering and x-ray scientists and  users, to maximise the benefits of the superb facilities that  Australia will have in this area in the next few years, with

the replacement reactor and the synchrotron. The work  undertaken at the Bragg Institute is relevant to diverse  areas, including plastics, minerals, welds,  pharmaceutical products, electronic materials, biology,

catalysts and magnets.  ANSTO also collaborates extensively internationally.  This keeps Australia involved and aware in international  thinking as to the fbture of nuclear science and  technology, and enables ANSTO to participate in that  future. ANSTO works multilaterdy, especially with the  International Atomic Energy Agency, but also with

global programs, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on  Climate Change. Regionally, ANSTO works with the  LAEA Regional Cooperative Agreement and the Forum  for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia. Countries in the Asia  Pacifc region are making great strides in the nuclear area,

and it is important to Australia’s strategic interests that we  have an understanding of their values and goals in  nuclear science. The contacts, networks and colleagues  established by collaborative research in these areas is  invaluable in ensuring that understanding, as well as  allowing Australia an opportunity to be a champion in the  region for high standards of safety and environmental  protection and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear

S&T.  ANSTO also works bilaterally. Relations with the  US, particularly with the Departments of Energy and  State, help keep Australia informed and involved in

developments. The following illustrates the diversity of  the Organisation’s collaboration with the European  Union (EU):  * Last year ANSTO counted 30 research projects

involving organisations in the EU.  * ANSTO is actively involved in consortia seeking  finding fi-om the EU’s S c d h  Framework Program  for research (FP6), which is funded to 17 and a half

billion euros over five years.  ANSTO has strong relationships with EU Joint  Research Centres (JRCs), particularly the  transuranium JRC in Karlsruhe, and with the  French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

3. Facilities

ANSTO’s future plans for nuclear science and  technology are very strongly influenced by its facilities,  and even more so now by the replacement research  reactor, which will be online in 2005/06. The  replacement reactor will be a world-class neutron source.

Eight neutron beam instruments are planned for the  replacement reactor: four difiactometers, two  spectrometers, a small-angle neutron scattering beamline  and a reflectometer. The selection of these instruments  followed an extensive consultation process. The Beam

hstrumcnts Advisory Group detcmhed the scope for

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the instruments through a series of workshops that were  held for each instrument or area, (for example biological  sciences). The workshops were open to any organisation  in Australia and overseas, and ANSTO particularly

sought involvement of individuals from North America,  Europe and Japan, so it could capture developments  internationally. The Australian Neutron Beam Users  Group also provides input on future instrumentation, and

to the development of the new instruments. The aim in  this high level of consultation is to build a world-class  centre with a unique range of capabilities.  The replacement reactor is, in fact, capable of

supporting 17 instruments. The additional instruments  would be housed in a second beam hall. Some potential  additional instruments have already been identi6ed. The  B r a g g  I n s t i t u t e ’ s  w e b s i t e

http://www.ansto.gov.a~ansto/bragg/index.hbnl carries  more information about them. Whde these instruments  form part of ANSTO’s fbture plans, they do not yet  feature in any ANSTO budget, and the Organisation

anticipates needing altetnative funds to supplement  possible government funds to enable these instruments to  be developed, operated and maintained. As the  Australian Government recently established a taskforce  to examine research infkastructure in Australia, ANSTO

is using that opportunity to bring the issue of additional  beamlines to the attention of that taskforce.  ANSTO has already established projects to take  advantage of the capabilities of the replacement reactor.  Around the world, research is under way on a new

generation of radioisotopes. Because of its higher flux,  the replacement reactor has the potential to produce a  much wider range of therapeutic radioisotopes than  HlFAR can. Therefore ANSTO Radiopharmaceuticals

has launched a project to iden@ and develop a  methodology and commercial production processes for  new diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes.  The replacement reactor’s cold neutron source will  open up completely new opportunities for research in  nanotechnology, biology and a wide range of material

science applications. Another new feature will be the  residual stress capability that will allow the study of  welds, engines, composite materials and so on.  As well as opening up new research areas, the

replacement reactor will also enable ANSTO to satisfy  ever-growing demand for its products and services. Last  year radiopharmaceutical sales rose by 7 per cent. The  replacement reactor will vastly increase ANSTO’s

radioisotope production capacity by four times the  current capacity enabling us to meet growing domestic  needs and create export opportunities. Neutron  transmutation doped silicon sales rose by 22 per cent last  year. The replacement reactor will give us four times the

capacity to produce phosphorus-doped silicon for the  semiconductor industry.

4. Business development

To meet increases in demand for ANSTO’s products and  services as well as the new opportunities that will be

provided by the

RRR, ANSTO has been sharpening its  focus on business development. ANSTO’s business  development team will play a key role in bringing  ANSTO’s future nuclear science and technology to  market. ANSTO’s new director of business

development, Rob Muir, has returned home after a 20-  year career in the US at the foreflont of technology  commercialisation and venture capital. As well as the  “good science is good business at ANSTO” tagline, Rob

has launched the ANSTO Business Lab, an environment  for learning and the evaluation, management and  commercialisation of intellectual property and  technologies.

ANSTO is also breaking new ground in providing a  new incentive environment for its scientists and  researchers, who are eligible to participate in potential  commercial returns -from ventures. This is being  managed through the ANSTO Technology Innovation

Awards program. In addition, a Technology Forum will  involve Mfi-om across the Organisation and which will  help to further build the commercialisation culture in the  organisation.

ANSTO’s fbture plans for business development  require:  1) Raising Australia’s global scientific profile  2) Further development of the ANSTO Business Lab

0 Changing the focus from ‘C for

commercialisation’, to ‘C for customer’,  e Pursuing ‘Investment-Ready Opportunities’

built around ANSTO’s three ‘crown jewels’  (mining, materials and radiopharmaceuticals)  and partnerships, and  0 Building Australian templates for the

successll trader of technology from public-  sector organisations such as ANSTO to the  private sector  3) Creating additional sources of h d i n g  for research

collaboration, and global technology transfcr.

In order to plan for these goals, ANSTO recognises the  need to understand how the organisation is currently seen  by the stakeholders and potential customers. Therefore it  is undertaking a suvey of its stakeholders, across staff,

the community, business and government. This survey  aims to identlfy stakeholder knowledge of ANSTO,  attitudes to the Organisation and the resulting behaviour,  as well as identlfymg stakeholder needs and issues, and  the best way of communicating ANSTO’s solutions to  those needs and issues. Clearly, it is not only a matter of  how ANSTO communicates what it does - h s  research

may also influence ANSTO’s decisions h t  what it  does.

s

5. National Research Priorities

The initiatives regarding business development are one  way in which ANSTO is seelung to maximise the value  of its research and capabilities. Another way is through

its involvement in the national research priorities. The  Prime k s t e r  announced the following four national

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research priorities last December:  e An environmentally sustainable Australia

e Promoting and maintaining good heallh;

e Frontier technologies for building and

transfiorming Australian industries  e Safeguarding Australia

While ‘Safeguarding Australia’ is suggestive of the  physical security of nuclear and radioactive materials,  the priority goals in this arca address a broader range of  research themes including:

1. Critical infrastructure

2. Protecting Australia fi-om invasive diseases and

3. Protecting Australia from terrorism and crime  4. Transformational defence technologies

P e a

ANSTO has been looking for the past year at how it  might best increase its research activity in this area, and  where it might be able to provide nuclear-based services  and technologies to other organisations.

ANSTO’s capabilities in materials and engvleering  science are particularly relevant to other organisations.  ANSTO, CSlRO and DSTO have held a number of  workshops during the past year, .and among items for

discussion has been the role that ANSTO’s materials  testing capabilities, such as lifetime assessment services  and welding technologies, could play a role in the critical  inti-astrUcture priority goal. ANSTO also has know-how

and services that might be applicable in the defence  technologies priority goal. The Organisation’s  capabilities in computer aided design of new  components and for performing simulated testing on

existing structures is relevant, as is its extensive ceramics  processing facilities.  All of these capabilities have been built up over a  number of years, in some cases such as materials testing  services, they were built up to help keep HFAR  functioning effectively and safely.

ANSTO has a track record in research in recent years,  to support M A  work on safeguards, that is applicable  to the “preventing terrorism and crime” priority goal.  Current research addresses:

1. detectors  2. environmental monitoring for the detection of  clandestine nuclear activities  3. nuclear forensics  4. the use of nuclear and technologically advanced

techniques for classical forensic science research.

Last year a working group of the Prime Minister’s  Science, Engineering and 1w.ovation Council  investigated the contribution that science, engineering  and technology could make to security. Further work  was then undertaken in the Department of Prime  W s t e r  and Cabinet. ANSTO has been involved  throughout these processes and has made sigruficant  contributions. The Organisation is currently workmg  with CSIRO, DSTO, Geosciences Australia and other

organisations and is participating in counter terrorism

forums to enable

us to idenlfL research opportunities.  ANSTO is also developing close ties with radiation  health services and HAZMAT divisions throughout  Australia. For example, it can advise emergency

response organisations on the detection, response and  clean-up of radioactive incidents. ANSTO’s linkages in  this field also spread internationally. For instance, it has  also been in discussions through the year on a proposed  EU FP6 project on illicit tr&cking detection.

6, Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a number of exciting future plans  under way at ANSTO with a clear focus on the scientific  and commercial benefits the replacement reactor will  bring. The new infrastructure that is being developed will  make an enormous difÃ¢ÂÂ¬erence to the work that ANSTO

can undertake, and that others can undertake using the  Organisation’s facilities. In its preparations, ANSTO is  concentrating on building client bases and on  strengthening its relations with users, particularly with  leading research institutes from around the world. It is

also building lmkages with other research performing  organisations around Australia. It has in place a project  management system that enables it to adapt to change so  as the future unfolds, ANSTO will have the flexibility to  respond. It is putting a great effort into building business  Imkages, to ensure the nation gains the maximum

econonlic benefit from ANSTO’s work.

All in all, the hture looks bright for nuclear science and  technology in Australia.

Table

The eight neutron beam instruments planned  for the replacement research reactor

DifEactometers:

High-resolution powder  agh-intensity powder  Residual-stress  Quasi-Laue

Small-angle neutron scattaing

Spectrometers:

Polarisation analysis  3-axis  Reflectometer

Illustration (see next page)

Acknowledgments - I would like to acknowledge the  assistance of Dr Minam Goodwin fi-om ANSTO in the  preparation of h s  paper.

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The initial eight instruments for the  replacement reactor

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