6 May 2011
Capita Symonds, in conjunction with Reid Campbell, has
made the final shortlist of bids vying to become the University of
Sydney’s new Nanoscience facility.
A team led by Iain Martin, which also created the University of
Bristol’s Nanoscience facility, is one of five entries on the final
list which was chosen from a total of 84 entries from around the
world.
Last year, the University of Sydney secured $40 million in
funding to build the new Australian Institute for Nanoscience from
the federal government's Education Investment Fund. The Institute
will focus on research across three areas - communications, medical
diagnostics and astronomy - united by a common disciplinary core of
nanoscale science.
The Institute has the potential to deliver a number benefits
including:
- Faster, more secure, and more energy efficient communications
based on photonics and quantum science technologies;
- New medical diagnostics and therapies which combine quantum
technologies with medical imaging and drug delivery modalities,
including challenges such as a fully implantable bionic eye;
- Revolutionary optical instrumentation to explore the
universe.
It will bring together several internationally competitive and
nationally collaborative research centres - including the ARC
Centre of Excellence in Photonics. It will involve more than 100
researchers and will train 120 postgraduate students in the first
three years of activity, as well as being able to accommodate a
further 50 visiting researchers.
Hailed as the quietest building in the world, the University of
Bristol's centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information provides
state-of-the-art specialised laboratories where vibration and
acoustic noise levels are among the lowest ever achieved, despite
the fact that it is located in Bristol city centre (the size of the
materials involved in nanoscience mean that complete stillness is
absolutely imperative).
Containing an anechoic chamber (a room designed to attenuate
sound or electromagnetic energy), two cleanrooms, and wet, optical,
and low vibration laboratories, it provides an ideal space for
developing future computing, communications and health
technologies, as well as advanced materials such as those used in
the aerospace industry.
Since its completion the Capita Symonds designed laboratories
have already been carrying out some groundbreaking research
including the development of a super powerful quantum computer
which uses particles of light (photons) whizzing through a silicon
chip to perform mathematical calculations, as well as the
development of a novel material made of tiny diamonds which is more
efficient at generating energy than conventional photovoltaic
materials.