When it comes to real estate in Taiwan, the slogan “Location, location and location!” sounds all too familiar. This slogan highlights the potential of a house depending on its geographic location. Similarly, there is also a prime location for scientific research.
A synchrotron light source is an index of scientific competence of a country, and a good location creates synergy. Among over 30 third-generation synchrotron light sources in the world, few are located in the prime location of scientific research. The most well-known cases are SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory close to Stanford University and Silicon Valley, and Advanced Light Source near University of California, Berkeley. In Taiwan, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) is located in Hsinchu Science Park and is very close to National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University. Situating in such a prime location, NSRRC looks forwards to making good use of this advantage and developing collaboration among universities and industries.
On August 5th, President Hong Hocheng and 20 more professors of National Tsing Hua University were invited to visit NSRRC in the hope of connecting the research resource and talents of both sides and thus creating a stunning synergistic effect. Collaboration aims to focus on energy materials (physics, chemistry, materials, and chemical engineering), biomedical imaging (brain science), new drug development (structural biology), and medical application accelerators. A new force is to drive technological and economic development in Taiwan in the near future.
NSRRC is the largest cross-disciplinary scientific experimental facility in Taiwan. Currently NSRRC has over 2,000 academic and industrial users annually. NSRRC not only opens educational programs at National Tsing Hua University, National Chiao Tung University, and National Sun Yat-sen University, but also signs MOU with more than 10 universities to cultivate new talents as well as to achieve resource coordination and sharing. Earlier on July 21st, President Huey-Jen Jenny Su and some professors of National Cheng Kung University also visited NSRRC to discuss the collaboration direction on science and technology.
The Taiwan Photo Source, Director Shangjr Gwo of the NSRRC said, is a national science facility which is to open to general users this September. This world-class synchrotron light source of 3 GeV with a circumference 518 meters will provide brand-new techniques for state-of-the-art scientific research, which will further improve the product development and process optimization for industries.