TRIUMF is Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, located on the campus of the University of British Columbia. It provides research infrastructure and tools that are too large and complex for a single university to build, operate, or maintain. It is one of three subatomic research facilities in the world that specialize in producing extremely intense beams of particles. At the heart of the facility is the world’s largest cyclotron, which is used to accelerate 1,000 trillion particles per second.

“Membership in the TRIUMF National Laboratory will strengthen Canadian scientific partnerships,” said Michael Siu, York’s associate vice-president research, science & technology. “Through this agreement, York’s scientists, especially physicists, will have the opportunity to lead and participate in large-scale research collaborations with their peers across the country, allowing us to extend and diversify our research efforts in these areas.”

Since its inception as a local university facility, TRIUMF has evolved into a national laboratory while maintaining strong ties to the research programs of Canadian universities. The science program has expanded from nuclear physics to include particle physics, molecular and materials science, and nuclear medicine.

“TRIUMF has an ambitious vision for its future – and for the future of Canada,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, Chair of TRIUMF’s board of management and Provost and Vice-President Academic of Carleton. “With York’s participation, I am even more confident that we can make it happen. York brings a great combination of expertise, skills, and proven performance.”

The facility is owned and operated as a joint venture by a consortium of Canadian universities via a contribution through the National Research Council, with building capital funds provided by the Government of British Columbia.

Media contact:
Melissa Hughes, Media Relations, York University: 416 736 2100 x22097 / mehughes@yorku.ca

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

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