ESS-Leioa and SLAC will collaborate in the process of accelerating neutrons
Scientists attached to the Basque center have held talks with their counterparts in California in order to finalize plans for collaboration in October
Commencing in October, the ESS-Leioa Neutron Spallation Center will collaborate with San Francisco's prestigious SLAC Laboratory in the neutron acceleration program. This commitment to collaboration represents the main objective of the visit made by scientists from the center in Biscay to the headquarters of the company based in California this morning. The group from Bilbao included the center's director, Javier Bermejo. The Lehendakari, Patxi López, who also visited SLAC's installations, has drawn attention to the significance of the collaboration between the center in Biscay and a body of SLAC's standing, laying grounds for future "stable and authentic" collaboration that will bring scientists from all over the world to the center in Leioa.
The fifth day of the Lehendakari's visit to the U.S.A. and his last day in San Francisco, centered around various companies based in Silicon Valley. Having visited Google at the beginning of the morning, the Lehendakari traveled to the installations of the SLAC laboratory. Here, he gained first-hand knowledge of the work carried out by the scientists in this center in the fields of nanotechnology and proton acceleration, an undertaking that "complements" the work initiated by the ESS-Leioa Neutron Spallation Center. The objective of this visit involved establishing contact between the scientists in each center in order to "begin to clear the way to enable stable and authentic future collaboration that will bring scientists from all over the world to our center," the Lehendakari explained.
The Lehendakari, Patxi López, was accompanied on his visit to the SLAC laboratory by the Director of the Spanish office of the European Spallation Source, José Antonio Maiz, an expert who is a member of the Advisory Council for the Basque Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation, Guillermo Echenique, General Secretary for Overseas Action, Pedro Luis Arias, Basque Vice-Minister for Universities and Research and Juan Ignacio Goicolea, Basque Vice-Minister for Innovation and Technology.
The contact between the two laboratories proved productive: in October, it is hoped that the collaboration program between ESS-Leioa and SLAC will be finalized, enabling, amongst other actions, the sharing of information and research and the exchange of scientists. ESS-Leioa hopes to obtain support from this prestigious center in those areas where it has no prior experience, within the context of neutron spallation. Javier Bermejo, director of the ESS-Leioa, has classified the work carried out by the laboratory in California as "an example to be followed," drawing attention to the "perfect" manner in which it complements the laboratory in Biscay.
Knight Rider
Following the visit to SLAC, the Lehendakari and the entire delegation of the Basque Government visiting the U.S.A. traveled to the University of Stanford. Here, the Lehendakari held a meeting with the Provost, John Etchemendy. López has explained that the purpose of this visit entailed acquiring an awareness of the manner in which the university is managed and how a university is organized to maintain a leading position at global level. This interest coincides with the defense that the University of the Basque Country will make of its candidacy for excellence in September. In addition, the Lehendakari has shown keen interest in understanding "how knowledge generated by a university is transferred to the companies and society in the area in which it is located."
An example of the practical application of knowledge acquired through research and innovation was provided during the next port of call on the Lehendakari's itinerary: the Automotive Innovation Facility-Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Lab. This center works on vehicle prototypes with highly unusual characteristics, taking in electrical cars, solar-powered cars and cars that detect the perspiration of the driver and provide information on his or her level of calmness.
The Lehendakari tried one of these prototypes, more specifically, a car that does not require a driver and is able to move around autonomously. The Lehendakari reaffirmed the "commitment to and need for increased university research and attempts to connect this research and the knowledge generated within the university to the industrial and business fabric of the Basque Country." Thus, the Lehendakari has underlined the fact that, even when beset by economic crisis, the Basque Government has a "commitment" to support research and "search for formulae to ensure that it pervades our business fabric."