MICROSCOPY STRATEGIC ADVISORY GROUP

A meeting was held on Wednesday 20th August at 12 noon, in the Faculty Board Room of RSBS.

Present were: Prof. Jonathan Stone (Chair), Dr Paul Cooper (BoZo), Dr John FitzGerald (RSES) Dr Zbigniew Stachurski (CSEM convenor), Dr Sally Stowe (ANUEMU), Dr Bruce Walmsley (JCSMR), Dr Rosemary White (CSIRO PI) Dr Ray Withers (RSC)

1. Apologies: Dr Helen O'Neill, Dr Tim Senden

2. The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted with corrections:
a) Date of the previous meeting
b) Discussion of CM300 operating fund - Dr Fitz Gerald reported that c.$13,000 had been collected so far this year from users' research grants, but warned that average maintenance costs to date had been close to $22,000 pa.

3. Proposal to purchase a Zeiss Apotome/Deconvolution Microscope System. Professor Stone reported that a system had been ordered, with partial funding from ANUEMU, RSBS, and NIBS. Drs Fitz Gerald and Withers requested further documentation of the projected applications and sources of funding.
Dr Stachurski offered a contribution of $1-2000 from CSEM, should the purchase be considered worthwhile.
It was agreed that the system be discussed at the next meeting.

Item 4 was transferred to the end of the meeting

5. Name change for the ANU EMU.
Professor Stone suggested that, given the broader range of microscopies now offered by the Unit, a name change might be timely. Dr Stowe had suggested "ANU Microscopy, Nanotechnology and Microanalysis" . The Committee agreed to consider the matter further, perhaps via email.

6. Launch Function.
Professor Stone reported that a function had been arranged on October 23rd, to celebrate and publicise major new acquisitions by the Unit - the JEOL/Orsay Focused Ion Beam, the Leica Inverted Confocal Microscope, and the Zeiss Apotome. Several DVCs had accepted invitations, and invitations were extended to the Advisory Committee members.
Dr White pointed out that the launch would be an excellent occasion to announce a name change.

7. Budget Update Deferred to next meeting.

4. Laser Microdissection System. The Committee were shown a video clip demonstrating a laser microdissection system. The members showed interest in the system and suggested circulating the video CD and investigating possible funding sources.

8.Other business:
Dr Stowe reported that a web-based booking system should be completed within a few weeks. The EMU website would also be made compliant with the new ANU guidelines.

The meeting finished at 1.15, the Committee agreeing to meet in one month.