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Next TRIUMF Director Appointed

News Release | For Immediate Release | November 17, 2000


(Vancouver, BC) -- The next director of TRIUMF, Canada's National Laboratory for Nuclear and Particle Physics, has been appointed by the TRIUMF Board of Management.

Professor Alan Shotter, a distinguished British researcher and educator, will lead the laboratory for a 5 year term starting 1 September 2001.

Professor Shotter has been the top European researcher in the field of nuclear physics using accelerated beams of exotic ions and will be leading the Canadian effort to exploit the new world-class North American facility called ISAC (Isotope Accelerator) which started operation at TRIUMF in the fall of 1998.

'The challenges and wonderful opportunities presented by the ISAC expansion at TRIUMF, coupled to the strong support for the scientific program received from the Federal and Provincial governments have allowed the Board of TRIUMF to attract a most pre-eminent scientist to British Columbia,' said Professor Colin Jones of Simon Fraser University and Chair of the TRIUMF Board of Management.

Dr. Shotter has a PhD in Nuclear Physics from Oxford University and is currently a full professor of experimental physics at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). He served as head of the Physics and Astronomy Department and is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Professor Shotter has served on numerous national and international scientific bodies, representing the United Kingdom on the European Sciences Foundation (ESF), on the OECD Mega Collaboration Committe, notably on Public Understanding of Science and on future European Radioactive Ion Beam Facilities. Professor Shotter is currently leading the research effort in nuclear physics in the U.K. and has established a strong collaboration with TRIUMF to build a dedicated beam line for nuclear astrophysics studies at ISAC.

TRIUMF, as Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, has a dynamic fundamental research program in nuclear physics. The recently opened ISAC facility can provide access to some 3,000 isotopes for experimental study in nuclear structure physics, nuclear astrophysics condensed matter research and life sciences applications. TRIUMF also provides Canada's contribution to the next generation of high energy accelerators (the Large Hadron Collider at CERN - the European research laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland) as well as providing essential infrastructure for Canadian university researchers. TRIUMF also participates in a small business development program and has an active role in technology transfer, especially in the field of medical diagnosis.

TRIUMF is supported by a contribution from the Federal government through the National Research Council of Canada. The laboratory is operated under a joint venture agreement by the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, Carleton University, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Victoria. TRIUMF also counts the University of Manitoba, L'Université de Montréal, the University of Regina, the University of Toronto, and Queen's University as associate members.


ABOUT TRIUMF

TRIUMF is Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics. Located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia, TRIUMF is owned and operated as a joint venture by a consortium of the following Canadian universities, via a contribution through the National Research Council Canada: University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Carleton University, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, McMaster University, Université de Montréal, Queen's University, University of Regina, Simon Fraser University, Saint Mary's University, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, York University.

 

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