Curtin University joins European research network

Curtin University has joined the EXCITE² research network, becoming the only institution outside of Europe to do so. Through it, Curtin University will help tackle problems such as environmental sustainability and obtaining the critical minerals required for the transition to renewable energy and a carbon-neutral economy.

Professor Steven Reddy, Science Director of the Geoscience Atom Probe at Curtin, said inclusion in the network recognised the university as a leader in nanoscale geoscience research, allowing it to collaborate with leading earth and environmental scientists.

“Funded by the European Research Council, the EXCITE² network provides easy access to leading-edge imaging technologies that enable researchers and industrial partners to observe intricate processes occurring at microscopic scale in Earth materials,” Reddy said.

The advanced imaging capabilities allow scientists to observe the natural world to understand and manage its challenges.

“The EXCITE² Network will help to address socio-economic challenges by establishing connections between environmental factors and human health, mitigating climate change risks, expediting the knowledge needed for the adoption of sustainable and renewable energy technologies, promoting advancements in nanoscience and ensuring the wellbeing of oceans, water and sustainable polar regions,” Reddy said.

Dr David Saxey, Facility Leader of Curtin’s Geoscience Atom Probe, said Curtin will give top researchers access to its geoscience expertise and its Geoscience Atom Probe facility in the John de Laeter Centre. The facility provides three-dimensional images of atomic distributions in small volumes of natural materials, such as important ore deposits and samples for mineral exploration.

Starting this year, Curtin will receive funding over four years to provide access to its Geoscience Atom Probe facility and to collaborate with European-based researchers through the network. Led by Utrecht University, the EXCITE² network includes analytical instruments based in 18 different institutions.