SINGAPORE on Tuesday (18 Oct) launched a S$16 million programme to promote research involving synchrotrons – a type of particle accelerator used in many fields of research – and signed an agreement with a national research institute of Australia for preferred access to their synchrotron.

A synchrotron is a machine that accelerates charged particles such as electrons, producing light beams that can be used to analyse materials in industries ranging from semiconductor production to life sciences.

The National Synchrotron Programme was launched by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF) during Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Australia for the 7th Leaders’ Meeting, an annual meeting of both prime ministers under the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The programme will coordinate synchrotron research locally, at Singapore’s own synchrotron, as well as overseas via the International Synchrotron Access (ISA) initiative.

Under the ISA, NUS and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation signed a five-year agreement giving Singapore researchers preferred access to Australia’s synchrotron. The signing was witnessed by Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Australian Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic.

Singapore’s synchrotron is a compact facility that was designed for the physical sciences, such as engineering. But in areas such as the life sciences, it “shows its limits”, said NUS deputy president for research and technology Chen Tsuhan.

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Australia’s synchrotron produces higher-energy beams that can be used to examine organic material, in areas such as life sciences and agriculture. The ISA eventually aims to broaden access to other international sites as well.

NRF director for national research infrastructure Jasbir Singh said that access to Australia’s synchrotron could help with projects such as assessing the nutritional quality of rice, by allowing researchers to see how well rice grains are fortified with minerals.