Submission

2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap CapabilityIssues Paper

Name / Professor Peter A. Lay
Title/role / Professor of Chemistry and Director, Vibrational Spectroscopic Core Facility
Organisation / The University of Sydney

Questions

Question 1: Are there other capability areas that should be considered?

Vibrational Spectroscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging Network (see attached sheets)

Question 2: Are these governance characteristics appropriate and are there other factors that should be considered for optimal governance for national research infrastructure.

Question 3: Should national research infrastructure investment assist with access to international facilities?

Yes

Question 4: What are the conditions or scenarios where access to international facilities should be prioritised over developing national facilities?

When there is domain expertise in Australia but the size of the research community is not large enough to justify the expenditure nationally. This could include access to specialist equipment capabilities in synchrotron radiation and neutron sources where Australia has considerable expertise but it is not feasible to cover all of the cutting-edge experimental capabilities available in overseas facilities within the Australian Facilities

Question 5: Should research workforce skills be considered a research infrastructure issue?

Yes, if we are to drive innovation nationally, we must have access to cutting-edge science and technology and an ability to train a specialised workforce in these capabilities as appropriate.

Question 6: How can national research infrastructure assist in training and skills development?

Not only can the establishment of new infrastructure provide training and skills development if appropriately funded for research personnel; it can also provide on-line training through programs such as MyScope that was established by the AMMRF. It also produces people with the right skill set that will ultimately create new business opportunities in Australia thus allowing us to become more competitive in a global market and hopefully allow the retention of IP in the country compared to the current situation where IP has to be sold due to lack of internal infrastructure.

Question 7: What responsibility should research institutions have in supporting the development of infrastructure ready researchers and technical specialists?

The role of research institutions is twofold. Firstly, they must be better aligned with new and existing industrial partners to provide essential resources that help develop these organisations to be globally competitive. This can only be achieved through proper government-based industrial incentive schemes that are rewarded based on results. Secondly, research institutes can provide internal programs that make their people more employable. This includes internal training and context-based situational learning, such that the transition from research to industry is better facilitated.

Question 8: What principles should be applied for access to national research infrastructure, and are there situations when these should not apply?

Access to research instrumentation should be based on three principles: (i) research excellence; (ii) enhancing the skill sets and research potential of early career researchers; (iii) supporting research and development to drive the innovation program of industry and government; and (iv) contribute to important social issues such as health, the environment and social wellbeing. This means that access to research infrastructure is based not only on best fit of the research group to the problem at hand, but also based on results, i.e. more access to those groups that produce results and grow the country’s business opportunities and contribute to societal demands for a better environment and social setting.

Question 9: What should the criteria and funding arrangements for defunding or decommissioning look like?

Defunding/decommissioning should be purely based on an accountability system. A clear set of guidelines has to be developed and systematically checked off based on the objectives stated in the proposal for the infrastructure. Failure to adhere, as assessed by qualified and independent project auditors, should result in defunding.

Question 10: What financing models should the Government consider to support investment in national research infrastructure?

The investment in high quality research infrastructure needs to consider both short and long-term potential for research, development and training that will drive innovation. Too much emphasis on short-term outcomes can be a recipe for mediocrity in the search for quick results. Real game-changing networks and infrastructure developments can take several years to reach a level of maturity that leads to the highest long-term impacts.

Question 11: When should capabilities be expected to address standard and accreditation requirements?

Question 12: Are there international or global models that represent best practice for national research infrastructure that could be considered?

Question 13: In considering whole of life investment including decommissioning or defunding for national research infrastructure are there examples domestic or international that should be examined?

Question 14: Are there alternative financing options, including international models that the Government could consider to support investment in national research infrastructure?

Health and Medical Sciences

Question 15: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Health and Medical Sciences right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

Vibrational spectroscopy is producing an emerging array of a relatively inexpensive, reliable and versatile set of tools for early and rapid diagnosis of cancer, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, etc. It is also used extensively in new drug developments. Australian facilities and researchers are world leaders in many of these areas.

Question 16: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 17: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the Health and Medical Sciences capability area?

Environment and Natural Resource Management

Question 18: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Environment and Natural Resource Management right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

Environmental monitoring, both remote monitoring and detailed investigations of the source and toxicity of pollutants using vibrational spectroscopy is another core capability of Australian researchers and facilities.

Question 19: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 20: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the Environment and Natural Resource Management capability area?

Advanced Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Materials

Question 21: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Advanced Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Materials right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

Advanced vibrational spectroscopy and vibrational spectroscopy imaging of complex materials (hard, soft and biomaterials and tissues) is a major area of research strength in Australia. It also requires advanced and complex chemometric analysis that mine the information rich data sets obtained from such imaging. There is also emerging expertise in vibrational nanospectroscopic imaging with new technology capable of spatial resolution of 10 nm, which will underpin nanoscience in Australia. If we are to drive innovation in these areas investment in the latest advances in these rapidly emerging techniques is essential.

Question 22: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 23: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the Advanced Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Materials capability area?

Understanding Cultures and Communities

Question 24: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Understanding Cultures and Communities right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

Vibrational spectroscopy has played a key role in archaeology, palaeontology and cultural aspects in analysis of artworks and other artefacts for forgeries and restoration. Again this is an area of considerable expertise in Australia and networks are being developed to increase the use of vibrational spectroscopy in these areas in universities, museums and art galleries.

Question 25: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 26: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the Understanding Cultures and Communities capability area?

National Security

Question 27: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for National Security right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

The ability of vibrational spectroscopy to identify just about any material and the advent of high performance portable and hand-held instruments has already found many applications in forensic labs, hazmat labs, etc. in Australia. There is considerable potential for the expansion of these capabilities through this network to tackle a range of National Security issues to which they are applied already..

Question 28: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 29: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the National Security capability area?

Underpinning Research Infrastructure

Question 30: Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Underpinning Research Infrastructure right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

On-line process control, remote monitoring and efficiency optimisation using vibrational spectroscopic probes and advanced chemometrics is considered to be state-of-the art in many industries such as primary production and processing of food, mining, mineral processing, pharmaceutical manufacture and quality control, and many other heavy and light industries. This network in vibrational spectroscopy has considerable potential to unleash the high level capabilities and expertise in Australia to drive innovation in improved efficiency and quality of the goods we produce for both the local and international market and to generate new industries.

Question 31: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 32: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016Roadmap for the Underpinning Research Infrastructure capability area?

Data for Research and Discoverability

Question 33 Are the identified emerging directions and research infrastructure capabilities for Data for Research and Discoverability right? Are there any missing or additional needed?

Question 34: Are there any international research infrastructure collaborations or emerging projects that Australia should engage in over the next ten years and beyond?

Question 35: Is there anything else that needs to be included or considered in the 2016 Roadmap for the Data for Research and Discoverability capability area?

Other comments

If you believe that there are issues not addressed in this Issues Paper or the associated questions, please provide your comments under this heading noting the overall 20 page limit of submissions.

AUSTRALIAN VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY RESEARCH NETWORK

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

·  Australia has a strong internationally recognised reputation in vibrational spectroscopy and a vibrant research community that holds its own conference (ACOVS) with many local and international participants from universities, government laboratories and industry.

·  Vibrational spectroscopic methods are used by the world’s leading manufacturers and research organisations for better understanding of products and processes, giving them a clear market advantage over those who do not use such technology, which needs to be further developed in Australia to provide businesses with the same advantages as their international counterparts.

·  Federal and State Governments have already invested heavily in state-of-the-art infrastructure in Government research institutions and the Australian Vibrational Spectroscopy Research Network aims to provide better awareness of such facilities for new and existing Australian organisations. An integrated University-Research Organisation model will enhance the quality of scientific outputs (fundamental and commercial) of these outstanding existing facilities resulting in Australia’s ability to become smarter in front-line research and industrial practice and more competitive on a global scale.

·  The network will be centred around one node in each state that would be responsible for integrating a state-based network of facilities and expertise to coordinate infrastructure plans and drive innovation in the field for both fundamental science and leading-edge commercial and agricultural advances that will enhance Australia’s competitive edge. The Directors of each node would then coordinate these developments into a rolling national roadmap for enhancing the international standing of the research community and develop a strategy for strong engagement with industry and other stakeholders.

·  Education and awareness are keys to success and in this capacity. The nodes would be training facilities with the aim of broadening the user base of national facilities (such as the Australian Synchrotron and inelastic scattering at ANSTO) and provide informed advice as to which facility will provide the right capabilities for the problem at hand.

·  Collaboration is essential and the proposed network would engage with Australia’s Industry Growth Centres and major user communities in Medicine, Agriculture, Mining, Museums, Art galleries, Advanced Manufacturing and the Pharmaceutical as well as the research community to drive innovation based around the infrastructure.

·  The funding would support: (i) major national research vibrational infrastructure in University nodes that does not currently exist, e.g. CARS, Raman Optical Activity and other cutting-edge infrastructure; (ii) access programs (travel and user charges where appropriate); and on-line training programs that would be incorporated into the highly successful MyScope platform developed by the AMMRF; (iii) provide an central facility for expertise in chemometrics for data mining from information-rich vibrational spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging and innovative on-line and ex situ process control.

INTRODUCTION

This position document directly addresses Question 1 of the National Research Infrastructure Roadmap with regard to whether other capability areas should be considered. Australia has a strong internationally recognized reputation in vibrational spectroscopy and a vibrant research community that holds its own conference (ACOVS see https://acovsandasc.wordpress.com/ for the last one) with many local and international participants from universities and the instrument industry and this is also recognised by the award of a range of international conferences in vibrational spectroscopy (International Conference on Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy, Melb, 2009; the International Conference on Near Infrared Spectroscopy in 2019, the International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy, Gold Coast, 2004; Workshop on Infrared Microscopy and Spectroscopy, Lorne 2013; Shedding new light on disease (SPEC2012) – run by Monash spectroscopists in Chiang Mai, Thailand). This reputation has been built on localised facilities that are found in many universities, government laboratories and industry that have a range of high-end and routine instrumentation, as well as high profile national facilities: i.e., the FTIR beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron and the inelastic neutron scattering beamlines at ANSTO associated with the research reactor.