MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS CONSORTIUM OF THE ACT

Purpose: to foster links in the field of microscopy and microanalysis between  institutions in the ACT.

DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS

PARTICIPATING FACILITIES         COURSES      EQUIPMENT BIDS     

MACACT Contact list

Meetings

ACT FACILITIES WITH CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS NOW IN PLACE

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL  UNIVERSITY:

ANU Electron Microscopy Unit.  3 TEMs (125 and  300kV)    4 SEMs ( conventional, FESEM, VPSEM, with cold stages, EDXA, CL etc,)   cryopreparation including cryo-ultramicrotomy and  high pressure freezing,  Light Microscopy including confocal and deconvolution,  Apotome.  Image Processing. Dual Beam FIB/SEM.   Laser Cell Capture Microscope
Contact: Sally Stowe   (Stowe@rsbs.anu.edu.au)

ANU Scanned Probe Unit - AFM, X-ray Tomography Equipment
Contact: Tim Senden (Tim.Senden@anu.edu.au)

Electron Microprobe Facility (ANU/GA). 2002 Cameca WDS and EDS, 1983 Cameca,  WDS and EDS.
Contact: Ashley Norris  (Ashley.Norris@anu.edu.au)

John Curtin School of Medical Research -Microscopy and Cytometry Resource Facility.  TEM 125kV, 2 confocal microscopes (Radiance 2000, MRC 500), Biorad two-photon microscope, light microscopy, histology lab and flow cytometry facility.
Contact: Cathy Gillespie (Cathy.Gillespie@anu.edu.au)
 

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA:

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES ACADEMY
 Hitachi H800 TEM (200kV) with STEM, EDXA, mapping. JEOL 35C SEM with EDXA
Contact: Heimo Timmers (h.timmers@adfa.edu.au)
CSIRO BLACK MOUNTAIN (Plant Industry, Entomology):
Microscopy Centre.  Scanning EMs, Light Microscopes including. confocal, digital image processing.
Contacts: Rosemary White  ( Rosemary.White@csiro.au);
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE FORENSIC SERVICES:
Contact: Chris Lennard (Chris Lennard@afp.gov.au)
GEOSCIENCE AUSTRALIA

         Contact: Richard Stern (Richard.Stern@ga.gov.au)


COURSES

          CSIRO Plant Industry RootConference 2006

ANU EMU Microscopy, Imaging and Analysis Workshops - April/May 2006  Full or half- day sessions  on  topics including image processing, TEM, SEM,  basic and advanced light microscopy,  Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis,  etc..

2006  Steve Chapman (ProTrain) SEM workshop  ANUEMU June 2006 one week

EQUIPMENT BIDS (recently successful, current and under consideration)
ANU -based
 RECENTLY SUCCESSFUL
X-ray Tomography Equipment, AFM. Tim.Senden@anu.edu.au

Focused Ion Beam/SEM. Stowe@rsbs.anu.edu.au 

Quasi-RT Deconvolution (Zeiss Apotome) Light Microscope. Stowe@rsbs.anu.edu.au

Upright confocal laser scanning microscope. Daryl.Webb@anu.edu.au

Laser Cell Capture microscope with twin optical traps..Julie.Christie@anu.edu.au

CURRENT

(Status: on ARC LIEF Reserve list)
Schottky Field Emission SEM for  high resolution EDXA microanalysis, variable pressure  and general purpose microscopy.  Sally..Stowe@.anu.edu.au
TEM  (125kV, with high tilt and wide field high resolution digital camera) . Cathy.Gillespie@anu.edu.au

UNDER CONSIDERATION
                Live Cell Microscopy (contact Rob.Saint@anu.edu.au or Sally.Stowe@anu.edu.au)
                Stereo epi-fluorescence Microscopy (as above)
               Cold FESEM for     high resolution imaging  (Sally Stowe)
                200kV TEM with  energy filter  and cold stage- multipurpose, for imaging, analysis and tomography (Sally Stowe)


UCAN - based
        


ADFA-based

GeoScience Australia -based

         RECENTLY SUCCESSFUL
                      SHRIMP

AFP-based
        RECENTLY SUCCESSFUL
                    SEM with EDXA, Raman, CL.
DRAFT

Memorandum of Understanding on the Microscopy and Microanalysis Consortium of the ACT,

between:. (?ANU, UCAN, ADFA, CSIRO, AFP, AGSO…..?).

The ACT Microscopy and Microanalysis Consortium shall be formed to strengthen collaboration and cooperation in the provision and utilisation of microscopy and related techniques between institutions engaged in scientific research in the ACT.

The Consortium consists essentially of an agreement between institutions concerning procedures, and requires no management structure as such.

Objectives:
1. To enhance the utility of the existing infrastructure by sharing resources.
2. To foster a coordinated approach to future equipment acquisitions and assist forward planning on an ACT-wide basis.
3. To create a firmer basis for future grant applications by providing an established structure rather than ad hoc alliances as a framework for multi-institutional initiatives.
4. By increasing the size of the user base, to make possible a more diverse resource infrastructure for each institution.
5. To optimise teaching and training resources.

Responsibilities:
The members of the Consortium agree to:

1. Guarantee researchers reasonable cross-institutional access to nominated facilities, under guidelines decided by each individual area.

2. Inform and consult with other Consortium members from the early planning stages of major microscopy-related infrastructure programs, bids and other initiatives so as to consider the needs of other members, encourage joint proposals and avoid inadvertent duplication of equipment.

3. Endeavour to support (with contributions of funds, goods and services, or information) the initiatives of other members where these will be advantageous to the Consortium as a whole.

4. Where possible, open workshops, training and seminar series to the whole group.

Management and Mechanisms:

1. For general communications, the ANU Electron Microscopy Unit (supported by RSBS) will operate a web site,  including an  email distribution list, for everyone in the participating institutions with an interest in the Consortium.

2. Once the Consortium is formally established, the DVC (Research) or equivalent person in each participating institution may delegate one or more representatives, who will communicate with one another and facilitate contact with appropriate people within their own institutions as necessary to actively further the aims of the consortium.

This Memorandum of Understanding is not intended to create any legal obligation to the Consortium as a whole or between its members.
 


EMAIL CONTACT LISTS

General information to ACT microscopists:  emu.users@anu.edu.au (unmoderated listserver, mail must be from a subscribed address)

MACACT CONTACTS:

MEETINGS
November 2000