Uncategorized – TVB Associates Inc.

Implementation of partnership agreement with international neutron source

TVB Associates is pleased to have supported Neutrons Canada by implementing activities under its first international partnership agreement, which provided access to the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the United Kingdom and promoted cooperation between Canada and this facility.

One result of this partnership is that ISIS has awarded 20 research groups across Canada with beam time over over approximately 16 months, and funds to cover travel costs for researchers to conduct their experiments.

Client article: https://neutrons.ca/news-item/isis-awards-canadians-beam-time/

Consensus building for research infrastructure

TVB Associates was pleased to support Neutrons Canada and the Long-Range Plan (LRP) Panel in project-managing and implementing a two-year consensus-building consultative process to produce the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035.

As the final consultative event in the LRP process, TVB Associates supported Neutrons Canada to gather the Canadian neutron beam user community with leaders from nine of the brightest neutron sources in the U.S. and Europe, who were vying for a partnership with Canada.

The meeting revealed broad support for the overarching recommendation of the LRP Panel for a national program for infrastructure for research and development with neutron beams.

The LRP, to be released in the coming months, calls on the federal government to allocate funds reaching about $25M/year for a national neutron beam program to be managed by Neutrons Canada. The expected scale and complexity of this program will place Neutrons Canada within among Canada’s portfolio of Major Research Facilities.

Client article: https://neutrons.ca/news-item/lrp-mcmaster/

Consensus-building on funding policy

TVB Associates was pleased to support Neutrons Canada in organizing and reporting on a consensus-building event at Canadian Science Policy Conference. This event gathered leaders of Major Research Facilities across Canada, as well as policy experts, science administrators, and researchers.

Attendees deliberated the recommendations of Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System regrading a new funding framework for Major Research Facilities.

The panelists and participating research facility leaders formed a consensus on the essential components of the funding framework and provided a report to government Ministers and civil servants responsible for funding policy for Major Research Facilities and the associated Major Science Initiatives.

Client article: https://neutrons.ca/news-item/consensus-building-on-funding-policy-for-major-research-facilities-at-the-2023-canadian-science-policy-conference/

Read the session report

Partnership negotiated for Canadian access to ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

TVB Associates is pleased to have supported Neutrons Canada in negotiating its first international partnership agreement, which will promote cooperation between Canada and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the United Kingdom.

Client article: https://neutrons.ca/news-item/new-partnership-will-expand-canadian-access-to-isis-neutron-and-muon-source/

Alumni study shows high impact of CLS on training of highly qualified people

Alumni Analyzer (a business line of TVB Associates) is pleased to share this statement from a happy client:

Alumni Analyzer’s findings were immediately useful in CLS government relations’ activities, enabling us to tell objective, data-driven stories about our impact on the training of highly qualified personnel.
Bill Matiko, CEO, Canadian Light Source

Alumni Analyzer’s results show that our alumni have a strong tendency to pursue higher academic degrees, to stay in Canada and in Saskatchewan, and to return to Canada if they study abroad. A strong majority of these alumni are employed in Canada’s top four most high-tech and research-intensive economic sectors. CLS alumni also achieve more or higher leadership positions over time. For example, after 10 years, CLS alumni are over 400% more likely to be in executive positions than the control group

For more information, visit: https://alumnianalyzer.com/canadian-light-source-case-study .

Business case for medical isotope production in Windsor

Canadian Healthcare Technology published a TVB Associates’ study for the University of Windsor on the business case for medical isotope production to support the local PET scanner.

Our study examined the challenge of equitable access to PET scans as a pricing problem. Viability of PET scanning is typically only available in cities large enough to sustain a local radiopharmaceutical manufacturer that produces F-18 and converts it into the radiopharmaceutical needed for PET scanning, known as FDG. We considered business and pricing models that could sustain a PET scanner and an FDG production business in Windsor, Ontario, a small Canadian city.

Our main results are reported in a white paper and a summary article, both published through Canadian Healthcare Technology.

Summary: Daniel Banks and Drew Marquardt. Sustainability of F18 medical isotope production in small Canadian cities: Canadian Healthcare Technology. June/July 2023. Vol. 28(5): 19.
White Paper: Daniel Banks, Joe Huser, Dale Schick-Martin, Drew Marquardt. Sustainability of F18 medical isotope production in small Canadian cities. University of Windsor. Distributed through Canadian Healthcare Technology White Papers. June 28, 2023. Volume 13, Number 6.

Alumni Analyzer brand launch!

TVB Associates is pleased to officially launch the Alumni Analyzer brand with successful case studies from two major research facilities: SNOLAB and CMC Microsystems!

Do you want alumni data to help you tell compelling stories to funders, potential recruits or employers?

If yes, check us out, and you can be our next happy client!
https://alumnianalyzer.com/#case-studies

Alumni study shows high impact of SNOLAB on training of highly qualified people

Alumni Analyzer (a business line of TVB Associates) is pleased to share this statement from a happy client:

“SNOLAB is the world’s leading deep underground clean lab hosting a dozen scientific experiments by large Canadian and international research teams. During more than 20 years of operation, numerous students and post-doctorates have passed through our facility either as users or employees. Inspiring and training these alumni for careers is one of our principal impacts on society.

“As a facility that relies on public funds, having objective data on SNOLAB’s impacts is critical. Yet tracking our alumni through their careers has been a challenge. Alumni Analyzer (a business line of TVB Associates) found our alumni, connected with them, and documented their educational achievements and professional career paths – both statistically and anecdotally.

“Alumni Analyzer produced a comprehensive report detailing SNOLAB’s success in inspiring and training staff and students, and demonstrating the valuable role SNOLAB alumni play in Canada’s tech and innovation ecosystem.

“Alumni Analyzer delivered exactly what SNOLAB needed: objective, aggregate data showing SNOLAB alumni tend to pursue higher educational achievements, have high rates of retention within Ontario and Canada, enjoy strong career progression, and are more likely than other Canadian science graduates to work in high-tech and research-intensive sectors of the Canadian economy.”

For more information, visit: https://alumnianalyzer.com/#case-studies

Neutron Long-Range Plan consensus building session

As project manager of the on-going process to develop the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035, TVB Associates was pleased to support the organization of a consensus building session at the CINS Science Conference in March 2023, in cooperation with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

The session, entitled “Building Expertise for Canadian Neutron Scattering”, gathered input on topics such as EDI, indigenous issues, student and post-doc issues, outreach to industry, and attraction of experts for roles such as instrument scientists.

The outcomes of the session will feed into the development of the Neutrons Long-Range Plan.

TVB Associates is continuing in the role of project manager of the Neutrons Long-Range Plan, now directly supporting Neutrons Canada to act in its new role as the institutional steward of the Neutrons Long-Range Plan.

For more information about the Neutron Long-Range Plan, visit: https://neutrons.ca/lrp2025/

Neutrons Canada launched!

Neutrons Canada was launched on December 1 to lead Canada’s infrastructure program for research with neutron beams (official news release).

Neutrons Canada is a critical part of the national strategy to rebuild Canadian capacity for materials research with neutron beams, following the 2018 closure of the NRU reactor at the Chalk River Laboratories.

The purpose of Neutrons Canada is to govern, manage, and represent Canada’s infrastructure program for research and development with neutron beams, including international partnerships that secure access to world-leading neutron laboratories, operation of Canada’s domestic neutron beam facilities, and national initiatives for future neutron sources, thereby enabling Canadians to address major social and economic challenges.

The creation of Neutrons Canada is the culmination of 6 years of work of the Canadian Neutron Initiative working group. The working group led 15 founding members, which are Canadian universities contributing to the rebuilding of Canada’s infrastructure program, to establish Neutrons Canada.

TVB Associates is pleased to have played a strategic role in Neutrons Canada’s creation, advising the working group and founding members throughout their work.

Author: Daniel Banks, President, TVB Associates Inc.
Photo: Launch of Neutrons Canada
Client article: Neutrons Canada launched to lead infrastructure program for research with neutron beams (Dec 7, 2022)

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