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Monash and McMaster join forces in Electron Microscopy

27 February 2008

Back row l to r: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish, The Hon John Wilkinson MPP. Front row l to r: Associate Professor Joanne Etheridge, Professor Gianluigi Botton.

The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy recently played host to a delegation from Ontario, Canada to celebrate the beginning of a collaborative research agreement between Monash and McMaster University.

The Hon John Wilkinson, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding by Monash University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish, the Director of the Monash Centre of Electron Microscopy, A/Professor Joanne Etheridge, and the Scientific Director of the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy, Professor Gianluigi Botton.

In his speech, the Minister praised the scientific excellence at Monash and McMaster and expressed pride regarding his government's $7 million contribution towards continuing research using electron microscopy -- including $150,000 that was announced at Monash to support continued collaboration between researchers at the two universities.

"We all want a better life for our children," he said. "Embracing innovation is essential if we are to achieve a higher quality of life for future generations."

Director of The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Associate Professor Joanne Etheridge, explained that the facilities at the centre will allow problems relating to areas such as energy and the environment to be solved that currently are unable be solved any other way.

"This partnership with Ontario will help Monash to train researchers to use the facilities and assist the centre to conduct its own valuable research," said Associate Professor Etheridge.

"An international collaboration with a world-leading entity such as the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy at McMaster University in Ontario is of great importance to Monash and will have significant benefit for both Canadian and Australian science."