Agreement signed for cooperation between Neutrons Canada and the Canadian Institute for Neutron Scattering

On July 21, 2023, Neutrons Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Canadian Institute for Neutron Scattering (CINS), which is a not-for-profit, voluntary organization that represents the Canadian scientific community of neutron beam users and promotes scientific research using neutron beams.

Incorporated in October 2022, Neutrons Canada is in a start-up mode, laying foundations for its role in governing, managing, and representing Canada’s infrastructure program for research and development with neutron beams.

“As we start up, we are defining our relationships with our stakeholders,” said Dr. John Root, interim Executive Director of Neutrons Canada. “The goal of operating a national neutron beam program will be to enable Canadians to address major social and economic challenges. Cooperation with neutron users is especially important to ensure that the program meets that goal.”

“Since 1986, CINS has represented the interests of neutron users to national organizations responsible for neutron beam infrastructure,” said Professor Drew Marquardt, CINS President. “We had a productive, symbiotic relationship with the former Canadian Neutron Beam Centre. CINS was also a member of the Canadian Neutron Initiative working group, which was the steering committee that established Neutrons Canada. Now, we’re building a relationship with Neutrons Canada, similar to the one we had with the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre.”

The MOU outlines several areas of cooperation between the two organizations, including, for example:

• CINS will play a formal advisory role to Neutrons Canada on its user-facing programs and activities.
• The parties will establish a user advisory committee with an official role in Neutrons Canada’s governance structure.
• Neutrons Canada will regularly report to users and obtain user feedback through forums organized by CINS.
• The parties will establish regular planning processes based on formal consultative procedures that build consensus around the neutron community’s priorities.
• The parties will cooperate on organizing events for neutron users.
• The parties will cooperate regarding communications to government and the public.