New Zealand Synchrotron Group Ltd (NZSG) is a small Crown entity. Its function is to oversee age New Zealand’s investment in the Australian Synchrotron, which is located in Melbourne, and to coordinate access for New Zealand researchers wishing to use the facility.
New Zealand has access rights to the Australian Synchrotron as a result of helping fund the beamlines at the facility and the payment of an annual access fee. The current arrangement finishes in June 2026. The company receives funding from the government (through a Strategic Sciences Infrastructure Fund grant) and 8 research organisations.
Governance and Operations
NZSG has a small governance board elected by its shareholders and day-to-day secretariat services are provided by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. NZSG operates from the Society’s premises in Wellington. (see link to Our People)
In addition to supporting the Board, the secretariat function provided include:
- raising awareness and advising on opportunities to use the Synchrotron,
- administering the beamline time allocation process,
- providing funding for researchers to travel to Melbourne to use the Synchrotron, and
- other support for synchrotron science
Shareholders
NZSG’s shareholders are:
The University of Auckland*
Auckland University of Technology*
The University of Waikato*
Massey University*
University of Canterbury*
Lincoln University
Victoria University of Wellington*
University of Otago Holdings Ltd*
AgResearch Ltd*
Callaghan Innovation
Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Ltd (GNS Science)
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd
* These institutions currently contribute funds towards the access arrangement
Access Committee
Because there is more demand for access to the Australian Synchrotron than New Zealand’s entitlement under the access arrangement with ANSTO, an Access Committee, which reports to the Board, evaluates proposals and makes decisions on which proposals get beamtime. They also select the recipients of student educational opportunities and travel grants whenever these become available (see Our People).