More than thirty representatives of innovative high-tech companies from across the UK met at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus (DSIC) on 17 April 2012, to find out how the country’s leading designers, developers and builders of particle accelerators could be beneficial to their own businesses.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 accelerators are used across the world and the innovative technologies developed to create these are applicable to many industrial and scientific sectors including healthcare, particularly in cancer detection and therapy; energy and environment, in supporting future energy programmes and safer disposal of radioactive nuclear waste; in the automotive and aerospace engineering sector to make more efficient use of fuel; as well as in the security sector, particularly for airport passenger and cargo screening.
'Accelerating Science, Accelerating Business', organised by STFC and the Cockcroft and John Adams Institutes, which STFC funds, enabled industry to gain a deeper insight into the technology requirements that drive accelerator-based scientific research and to identify opportunities for them to collaborate with the UK's research organisations to solve their R&D challenges and develop new products, processes or services for commercial exploitation.
Industry representatives attending the one-day event heard from Dr Paul Beasley, Head of Strategic Development from Siemens Corporate Technology and Concepts, about how working with STFC to solve research challenges using accelerator technology has significantly benefited the company. Dr Beasley highlighted how STFC's knowledgeable staff, extensive resources, large-scale infrastructure and supportive collaboration had proved the ideal partner to enable timely and highly efficient development and testing of Siemens' innovative accelerator systems.
The event also provided an opportunity for many of the companies present to air their future technology development challenges to the expert audience and prompted much lively discussion during the extensive networking sessions. The delegates were also treated to a rare opportunity to view first-hand the world class test-bed accelerators and extensive supporting infrastructure located on the Campus; facilities which included the ALICE and EMMA operational accelerators and the new Electron Beam Test Facility (EBTF) which is currently under construction, plus the Engineering Technology Centre (ETC).
Through this successful event and future industry-focused activities, STFC will continue to strengthen its role supporting economic and employment growth in the high-tech sector; both through commercial partnerships to expedite technology and product development, and through the effective transfer of its world class expertise to the UK's expanding high-tech commercial base.
Any companies wishing to know more about how accelerators can benefit their business should contact ASTeC Business Development Managers:
