COVID-19 notification, 2 December 2020
ANSTO continues to offer options to national and international users of its Research Infrastructure for conducting their awarded research access. While attendance in person is encouraged and preferred, ANSTO realises this is not possible for all users. Where attendance in person is not a possibility, mail-in of samples for experiments suited for that mode of operation and supported by ANSTO staff is offered. Alternatively Users may also seek to have local collaborators conduct experiments on their behalf. ANSTO contacts should be contacted to discuss these options and other assistance can be facilitated by the User Office (user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au or user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au).
COVID-19 notification, 12 November 2020
ANSTO’s research infrastructure facilities at its New South Wales and Victorian sites continue to remain open for user experiments. With various State Governments’ relaxation of border restrictions, ANSTO looks to welcome more users to its sites in the coming weeks. ANSTO has COVIDSafe Plans in place for its respective sites: https://www.ansto.gov.au/news/important-updates-on-covid-19. The safety of our staff and visitors, including our user community is a priority for ANSTO and local arrangements are in place to promote COVIDSafe working practices.
Relevant updates will be sent to you from the User Office teams and questions you may have can be directed to them: user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au or user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification, 27 October 2020
Following recent announcements from the Victorian Government, the Australian Synchrotron will resume general user experiments from 28 October.
Researchers with beamtime scheduled at the Australian Synchrotron in operational cycle 2020/3 will be able to carry out their experiments either onsite or remotely (depending on travel restrictions) without the requirement to justify that their research is a permitted activity.
Relevant updates will be sent to you from the User Office VIC and questions you may have can also be directed to: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification, 20 October 2020
Following recent announcements from the Victorian Government, the Australian Synchrotron will continue to operate only for activities that are permitted, which includes essential maintenance, and support of COVID-19 and certain other research. General User access will not take place at this time until the Victorian Government’s restrictions have sufficiently eased. These arrangements will continue until further announcements from the Victorian Government.
Researchers with beamtime scheduled at the Australian Synchrotron in operational cycle 2020/3 are being contacted so that they may indicate to ANSTO whether or not their experiment is a permitted activity under the Victorian Government’s guidelines. If endorsed, these experiments may proceed, typically via mail-in or remote access arrangements. Those already scheduled experiments that are not considered to be a permitted activity during the current period of restrictions will be re-scheduled in 2021.
As further details are released regarding Victorian Government restrictions, we will keep you informed as to the path back to our general User program. Relevant updates will be sent to you from the User Office VIC and questions you may have can also be directed to: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification, 13 October 2020
In line with the current lockdown restrictions in Metropolitan Melbourne, the Australian Synchrotron will continue to operate only for activities that are permitted, which includes essential maintenance, and support of COVID-19 and certain other research. General User access will not take place at this time until the Victorian Government’s restrictions have sufficiently eased. These arrangements will continue until, at least, 19 October 2020.
Researchers with beamtime scheduled at the Australian Synchrotron in operational cycle 2020/3 are being contacted so that they may indicate to ANSTO whether or not their experiment is a permitted activity under the Victorian Government’s guidelines. If endorsed, these experiments may proceed, typically via mail-in or remote access arrangements. Those already scheduled experiments that are not considered to be a permitted activity during the current period of restrictions will be re-scheduled in 2021.
As further details are released regarding Victorian Government restrictions, we will keep you informed as to the path back to our general User program. Relevant updates will be sent to you from the User Office VIC and questions you may have can also be directed to: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification 29 September 2020
In line with the Victorian Government’s current Stage 4 lockdown restrictions in Metropolitan Melbourne, the Australian Synchrotron will continue to operate only for permitted activities including essential maintenance and in support of COVID-19 research. General User access will not take place at this time. These current arrangements will continue until, at least, 19 October 2020. As further details are released on the easing of Victorian Government restrictions, we will keep you informed as to the path back to our general User program. Updates, when available, will be sent to you from the User Office VIC and questions you may have can also be directed to: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification 8 September 2020
In line with the Victorian Government’s recent extension to Stage 4 lockdown restrictions in Metropolitan Melbourne, the Australian Synchrotron will continue to operate only for permitted activities including essential maintenance and in support of COVID-19 research. General User access will not take place at this time. This extension to the current arrangement will continue until at-least September 28th, 2020. As further details are released as to the easing of Victorian Government restrictions, we will keep you informed as to the path back to our general User program. Updates, when available, will be sent to you from the User Office VIC and questions you may have can also be directed to: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au.
ANSTO’s NSW facilities are open for User programs. Users may attend in person as permitted by Government guidelines regarding travel or may send in samples where that option is available. Questions on ANSTO’s NSW sites and User programs are to be directed to: user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au.
Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to reconnecting with you as circumstances evolve in both Victoria and New South Wales.
COVID-19 notification 6 August 2020
ANSTO is making temporary changes in line with Victorian government advice to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Australian Synchrotron will continue to operate for permitted research, in particular research related to COVID-19, but will cease operations for other research at this time. Requests for COVID-19 related research or other permitted research (in accordance with the Victorian State Government Stage 4 restrictions) will be assessed by ANSTO on request.
All Australian Synchrotron user programs that are not for COVID-19 related research or for other permitted research are suspended until further notice.
Australian Synchrotron updates, when available, will be sent to you from the User Office and questions you may have can also be directed there: user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au.
Staff, users and visitors to ANSTO’s Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, NSW, are recommended to wear a face mask. Masks will be provided to visitors and users should they need them.
For the benefit of our visitors and users, ANSTO’s COVIDSafe plan is available: https://www.ansto.gov.au/covidsafe-plan.
Please direct any questions about ANSTO’s NSW user operations and campuses to the User Office: user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au
COVID-19 notification 28 July 2020
ANSTO is monitoring the latest updates on COVID-19 in NSW and VIC.
NSW is available from: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/
Victoria is available from: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
ANSTO is continuing to follow all Government advice related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria and will monitor the changing situation, updating its response as necessary. All visitors to the Australian Synchrotron facilities in Clayton will be required to wear a face mask at all times, unless they have a medical exemption. See: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/face-coverings-work-covid-19#lawful-excuses-or-exceptions-for-not-wearing-a-face-covering
A reminder to our Users:
The call for proposals for the 2021-1 round (January to June 2021) for the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering and the National Deuteration Facility opened 11 June, closing 11.59pm 15 September 2020.
The ANSTO Research Portal opens today for submission of proposals for the 2021-1 round, and closes 11.59pm, 31 August 2020. Submissions through the ANSTO Research Portal are for capabilities and facilities located at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights and Camperdown sites, excluding the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering and the National Deuteration Facility. Due to back-logs arising from COVID-19 impacts, some capabilities offered under the ANSTO Research Portal will either not be available or have reduced capacity for the 2021-1 round.
The Australian Synchrotron Portal will open for submissions of proposals for the 2021/1 round (late January to early May 2021) on 11 August, closing 8 September 2020.
COVID-19 notification 16 July 2020
ANSTO is monitoring the latest updates on COVID-19 in NSW available from https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-updates and Victoria available from https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.
ANSTO is continuing to follow all Government advice related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria and will monitor the changing situation, updating its response as necessary.
ANSTO research infrastructure facilities in NSW and VIC remain open for business subject to certain restrictions in place. These restrictions apply as at 16 July, and may be updated further at any time by ANSTO. These apply in addition to any restrictions under applicable directions or orders of the NSW or Victorian Governments. The following users must not attend an ANSTO site unless they have completed a 14 day self-isolation period and, if they exhibited any COVID-19 symptoms during that period (but have not tested positive), have either been cleared by a negative test or have completed the protocols published by the applicable State Government for self-isolation for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases:
- For users of ANSTO’s Lucas Heights site, any person who has travelled to or from Victoria since 7 July 2020.
- Any person who attended the Crossroads Hotel in Casula between Friday 3 July and Friday 10 July, Planet Fitness in Casula between Saturday 4 July and Friday 10 July, or the Picton Hotel in Picton on Saturday 4 July, Thursday 9 July, or Friday 10 July.
- Any person who attended a venue during a period which is the subject of a public health alert urging people to self-isolate.
- Any person who has had known close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Any user who has tested positive for COVID-19 must not attend an ANSTO site unless they meet the directions, orders or protocols of the applicable State Government for release from isolation.
The NSW Government has also published a list of COVID-19 case locations and dates at https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates. Users should review this list and if they have attended any of these locations on the dates specified they should reconsider the necessity to visit ANSTO at this time and watch for COVID-19 symptoms.
If you have any questions please contact the ANSTO User Office (user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au; or user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au)
COVID-19 notification 8 July 2020
ANSTO is following all Government advice related to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria and will monitor the changing situation, updating its response as necessary.
ANSTO research infrastructure facilities in NSW and VIC remain open for business subject to certain restrictions. ANSTO’s NSW facilities are available for users coming from States having no border restrictions in place with NSW. At this time, the Australian Synchrotron in Clayton will continue its gradual resumption of operations for Victorian users. All facilities are supporting mail-in and remote user experiments on a best efforts basis.
From 11.59 pm 7 July, users from Victoria will not be able to travel to NSW, including ANSTO’s NSW sites. If you have any questions about your experiments, please contact the User Office – NSW.
COVID-19 Update - 11th June
The Australian Synchrotron recommenced user operations on 1 June, accommodating mail-in and remote experiments and those users able to travel to the facility.
The Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering will recommence user operations from 23 June.
All Users coming to ANSTO are required to undertake a COVID-19 Induction for the specific facility visited prior to site access. Local area inductions will also be provided outlining safe working practices (e.g. social distancing, area occupancy limits, personal protective equipment).
The Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering is now accepting proposals for the 2021-1 round (Jan-Jun 2021). ANSTO will advise as soon as possible when other facilities and platforms will be open for submission of proposals.
COVID-19 Update - 21st May
Dear Users,
Our 12 May communication to you advised of our plans to develop a staged, partial resumption of research infrastructure operations at Lucas Heights, Camperdown and Clayton.
As we prepare to recommence our user program, we will complete planned maintenance and infrastructure will be brought back to a state of operational readiness. We do not expect to resume operations at full capacity during this phase.
Our commitment is to:
- Address first those approved experiments/projects postponed from the 2020-1 round due to COVID-19 measures taking in to account student and post-doc projects facing critical timelines. We will contact the impacted users soon to discuss restarting these experiments;
- Consider mail-in of samples, where possible, subject to agreement with Research Infrastructure contacts;
- Progressively allow users on site, from local/state, national and international institutions depending on Government and respective institutional travel advice, and ANSTO risk assessments;
- Award proposals under the 2020-2 (Lucas Heights) or 2020/2 (Clayton) rounds contingent on when user operations resume; and
- Reopen new proposal submissions once back-log is addressed and normal operations re-established.
- ANSTO VIC (Australian Synchrotron) will recommence regular user operations from June, following the principles outlined above. As Government restrictions ease, ANSTO NSW will assess the risk of resuming a reduced level of user program that will permit the presence of users on site.
Questions on this communication can be directed to respective User Office sites user.office.nsw@ansto.gov.au or user.office.vic@ansto.gov.au for the capabilities required.
