We are pleased to announce the release of “The National Neutron Strategy: A strategy to rebuild Canadian capacity for materials research with neutron beams.”
The strategy represents the consensus of the community built over the past several years and was discussed in depth at the CNI-CIFAR 2020 Roundtable on a National Neutron Strategy in December 2020. The 4 key objectives of the strategy are:
1. Forge partnerships with high-brightness neutron sources in other countries;
2. Build on existing domestic capabilities, including full exploitation of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR), a medium-brightness neutron source;
3. Explore and invest in developing new neutron sources for the long term; and
4. Create a new, national governance and management framework for these activities.
This strategy is a basis for the national CFI 2023 Innovation Fund proposal led by the University of Windsor for neutron beam infrastructure, while early versions of the strategy supported the national CFI 2020 Innovation Fund award to McMaster University. Presently, 15 universities are founding Neutrons Canada as the central feature of strategic objective 4.
This strategy also serves as a basis for CINS to develop the Neutron Long-Range Plan (LRP). The Neutron LRP will be a realistic plan for the infrastructure investments needed to implement the national neutron strategy over the next decade and beyond.
The National Neutron Strategy is also available from the CNI’s page at http://neutrons.ca.