The IAEA is launching a new 5-year Coordinated Research Project (CRP), starting in 2018, which aims to build awareness and increase the impact of accelerator-based analytical techniques in developing Member States.
Accelerator-based technologies are associated with a broad range of applications which have societal and technological impacts, and can contribute to the economic development of Member States. The utilisation of accelerators enhances innovation in areas such as health, materials research, cultural heritage, environment, forensics, energy and natural resources.
Although IAEA developing Member States recognize accelerator technologies as one of the key possibilities to serve research as well as social and economic development, many of them still face difficulties allocating the requisite funds for the installation and effective operation of accelerator facilities. As a result, researchers from these Member States often lack the necessary support to employ accelerator-based techniques, or their access to accelerator facilities remains very limited.
The aim of this CRP is therefore to facilitate scientists without access to accelerator facilities to conduct experiments using accelerator-based ion-beam analytical techniques. This will be accomplished through the identification and selection of participating institutions (hosts) which will provide access to ion beam laboratories and expertise in ion beam analytical techniques, and awarding technical contracts and research agreements accordingly. The scientists previously without access (guests) will thus derive benefits from access to related analytical and irradiation techniques, as well as will build the necessary capacity if such facilities were planned in their countries in the future.
The project will further promote new collaborations and networking among researchers, accelerator specialists and other stakeholders interested in the accelerator-based analytical techniques.
CRP overall objective:
The primary goal of this CRP is to boost the impact of accelerator-based analytical techniques in developing IAEA Member States by increasing the number of users of ion beam accelerator facilities for analytical and irradiation purposes, as well as for regional capacity building.
Specific research objectives:
- To facilitate scientists lacking access to accelerator facilities to conduct experiments using accelerator-based ion beam techniques;
- To encourage young scientists to associate their research with accelerator-based ion beam analytical techniques as part of their MSc and PhD research;
- To help transfer the knowledge, skills and experience in specific accelerator-based ion beam analytical techniques to developing Member States.
How to join the CRP:
Please submit your Proposal for Research Contract or Agreement by email to the IAEA's Research Contracts Administration Section, using the appropriate template on the CRA website.
For further information related to this CRP, potential applicants should write to the Research Contracts Administration Contact Point.