Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2005
Queen to Visit Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan
SASKATOON – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh will visit the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Light Source synchrotron on Thursday, May 19 as part of the Royal Visit commemorating Saskatchewan’s centennial.
“We are honoured to be included in the Royal Visit and to have the opportunity to showcase our world-class research facilities and the cutting edge science we are doing in human, animal and plant studies,” says University of Saskatchewan Secretary, Gordon Barnhart. “The Canadian Light Source is a shining example of the University of Saskatchewan’s leadership in innovation and research.”
Officially opened in October 2004, the national synchrotron facility at the University of Saskatchewan is one of the country's largest science projects in the last 30 years. It is funded through an unprecedented collaboration among the university and all three levels of government: the federal government; the provinces of Saskatchewan, Ontario and Alberta; and the City of Saskatoon. Significant funds were also provided by industry partners in the energy and pharmaceutical sectors. The synchrotron will be used by researchers in academia, government and industry.
“Research at the Canadian Light Source will improve the quality of life of people around the world,” says CLS Executive Director William Thomlinson. “Like the people of this province, we are thrilled that Her Majesty is visiting this state-of-the-art facility that was designed and built in Saskatchewan.”
Synchrotron light is used to determine the chemical nature and the molecular structure of materials, paving the way for new drugs, more powerful computer chips, better engine lubricants, more effective medical imaging, environmental monitoring and a host of other applications for science and industry. There are currently six synchrotrons in the Commonwealth: the CLS, the Daresbury Synchrotron Radiation Source in the UK (soon to be replaced by the Diamond synchrotron in Oxfordshire), two in India, one in Singapore and one under construction in Australia.
More information on the Canadian Light Source is available at: www.lightsource.ca.
For more information contact:
Rob Norris
Coordinator, Global Relations
Office of the University Secretary
(306) 612-2428
Rob.Norris@usask.ca
Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:45