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| BATAN scientists (L-R) Dr Edy Giri Putra, Dr Dadong Iskandar, Mr Asep Setiawan, Mrs Arum Patriati and Prof Evvy Kartini. |
ANSTO recently hosted six visitors from the Indonesian National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation across nuclear science and technology programs that are of mutual interest.
In 2012, building upon long-standing collaboration on the security of radioactive sources and emergency planning, ANSTO and BATAN agreed on a joint program of research in the following areas:
- Neutron scattering techniques for battery research
- Biophysical study of a virus-like particle for targeted drug and vaccine development
- Improving water quality by mapping uranium and other natural radionuclides
- Improvement in the application of Ion Beam Analysis and Neutron Activation Analysis
Recent funding from Indonesia’s Ministry of Research and Technology paved the way for the visit and the initiation of the projects.
Three BATAN scientists were based in the Bragg Institute, while the remaining three scientists were based within the Institute of Environmental Research (IER).
Professor Evvy Kartini, in collaboration with Dr Shane Kennedy of the Bragg Institute, is studying the application of neutron scattering techniques for battery research. Prof Kartini and Dr Kennedy have been collaborating on projects for more than fifteen years, and Dr Kennedy is currently co-supervising one of Prof Kartini’s students at the University of Wollongong.
Prof Kartini was very pleased with the collaboration, which aims at fostering and improving the quality of the joint research program, in particular the way it was bringing the next generation of young scientists together on the project. In the future, high quality samples will be prepared in Indonesia and bought to ANSTO for analysis using neutron scattering techniques.
Dr Kennedy made a reciprocal visit to Indonesia in December 2013 to continue the collaboration, where he held a number of discussions with lead scientists, managers and BATAN executive and also with the Ministry of Research and Technology deputy director.
He also presented a lecture and discussion in the Centre for Advanced Materials Science and Technology and now hopes that research plans for collaboration in battery materials and scientific exchange between the BATAN neutron laboratory and Bragg Institute will follow.
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| BATAN scientists with collaborating ANSTO scientists at the Bragg Institute. |
Dr Edi Giri Putra and Arum Patriati are working with Dr Robert Knott and Dr Anna Sokolova in the Bragg Institute on a new biophysical study of virus-like particles for targeted drug and vaccine development by neutron scattering.
This research has a specific longer term focus on the development of a vaccine to combat dengue fever, which the World Health Organisation estimates infects between 50 and 100 million people globally every year.
This research has a specific longer term focus on the development of a vaccine to combat dengue fever, which the World Health Organisation estimates infects between 50 and 100 million people globally every year.
Mrs Patriati made initial contact with Dr Sokolova though ANSTO’s summer school program in 2009.
Dr Putra has collaborated with ANSTO’s Dr Knott for over a decade, with the current project initiated when Dr Putra visited ANSTO in 2012 as an IAEA-funded visiting scientist.
Dr Putra has collaborated with ANSTO’s Dr Knott for over a decade, with the current project initiated when Dr Putra visited ANSTO in 2012 as an IAEA-funded visiting scientist.
Dr Dadong Iskandar and Asep Setiawan are based in the IER, working with Professor Henk Heijnis and Dr Atun Zawadzki on a study focusing on improving water quality by mapping uranium and other natural radionuclides in drinking water in Indonesia using radiochemical analysis and other nuclear analytical techniques.
Industrial development, population growth and urbanisation have resulted in a deterioration of water quality, with uranium and other radionuclides present in the environment due to leaching from natural deposits, release from mill tailings and emissions from the nuclear industry, among others.
The IER is collaborating with the BATAN visitors to provide information regarding techniques available for the mapping of uranium and other radionuclides which will provide essential information to stakeholders and policy-makers in Indonesia. Prof Heijnis is planning a reciprocal visit early in 2014 to continue the collaboration.
Dr Muhayatun Santoso visited the IER to initiate a collaboration with Dr David Cohen and Dr John Bennett (Centre for Nuclear Applications) regarding the application of Ion Beam Analysis and Neutron Activation Analysis to the characterisation of particulate matter from air pollution.
The impact of air pollution released from coal-fired power plants is a regional issue in the Asia-Pacific and is raising concerns for human health and environmental impacts.
ANSTO’s support for this project will assist capacity building in Indonesia and help to enhance basic infrastructure at BATAN.
The visit from the BATAN scientists to ANSTO has successfully initiated all four projects, with scientists from both organisations happy with the progress made to date and the outcomes of the visit.
ANSTO looks forward to continuing this valuable relationship with BATAN well into the future.