MLA of Richmond-Steveston, John Yap visited TRIUMF March 16, 2009. He was welcomed by Director of TRIUMF, Nigel Lockyer, and several TRIUMF researchers. Lockyer gave a brief presentation on some of the work done at the lab and outlined it's proposal for moving forward. He observed that TRIUMF attracts top talent to Canada and used the ATLAS Canada experiment as an example: one-third of graduate student researchers have received prestigious fellowships from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and another one-third who are international. Lockyer described TRIUMF as home to the most intense beams of rare isotopes and the best facility in the world for measuring the mass of an atom. Mr. Yap learned about the knowledge transfer and commercialization programs at TRIUMF; these activities are an important component of TRIUMF, as demonstrated by its partnership with the BC Cancer Agency and MDS Nordion. Lockyer cited the 20-year partnership that TRIUMF has had with the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre at UBC Hospital as one example. Another was a new initiative with private-sector partner MDS Nordion to develop commercial radioisotope products using heavy metals.
Looking forward, Lockyer presented Yap with an executive summary of the Five Year Plan. He emphasized that now is the time to invest in infrastructure for our economy and to keep Canada's edge in technology and innovation. Lockyer then led Mr. Yap on a tour of TRIUMF. Mr. Yap had the opportunity to meet a number of TRIUMF employees that reside in Richmond-Steveston. Before heading home, Mr. Yap stood for a photograph with Lockyer, proudly holding the future of TRIUMF in hands-as described in the Report of the Task Force on Alternatives for Medical-Isotope Production and TRIUMF's Five-Year Plan.
John Yap, MLA of Richmond-Steveston and Nigel Lockyer, Director of TRIUMF
By Maria Jose Crousillat
Communications Assistant