Director's Message

Dear Colleagues,

Above the ANU physics team can be seen among our Shandong Students in Weihai last week. My thanks to all those who contributed to this program over recent months. I eagerly look forward to hearing the details of the fibre optic gyroscope lab developed for the first time there. Over the past 5 years this exchange has brought us a wealth of experiences, talented students and friendships.

For those who are keen to hear Distinguished Professor Brian Schmidt’s National Press Club presentation last week on “Securing Australia's Sovereign Research Capability” it can be found here. Using our school history as an example he speaks proudly about how taking a long view around foundational research is the best way to ensure significant national benefit. It’s an interesting listen and I think should resonant with policy makers and researchers alike.

You have just seen the announcement of my new role at ANU. I feel very lucky to have this new opportunity and am so grateful for all the great work Professor Ute Roessner did in this role before she joined the ARC. There will be time to reflect in more detail but I just wanted to quickly say that it has been a massive privilege to work in such a fantastic school with so many fine colleagues and friends over the past 30+ years. I’m not going too far and will always call Physics my spiritual home.

Have a great long weekend, stay warm.
T

Twisted Light To Transform The Future of Technology

From smartphones to laptops, our devices are called ‘electronics’ because they use electrons to carry information.

But electrons may not be the future of technology. 

Dr Kirill Koshelev from the Research School of Physics at The Australian National University (ANU), is exploring a revolutionary approach that uses photons instead of electrons—with a twist. 

By introducing ‘chirality’—spiral-like structures similar to how your left and right hands mirror each other—into nanostructures, his team aims to create entirely new ways for devices to process and store information.

» read more

3 Minute Thesis Competition 2025

Preparations have begun for this year’s Three Minute Thesis competition – the time when ANU’s PhDs are challenged to engage, entertain and inform you with the gist of their thesis in three short minutes (and not a second more!) supported by just a single PowerPoint slide.

3MT allows our PhDs to showcase not only the amazing research that we do here at ANU, but also to show off their research communication skills. To see a good 3MT presentation can be an incredibly informative, entertaining and even quite moving experience.

Training for the year begins with the launch/information session next Monday and the carries on through to the College heat on 1 July and ultimate Grand Final on 11 July. Students can attend the training without competing if they just want to brush up on their communication skills with the pressure of competition. With oral exams now very much ‘in the mix’, 3MT training has become much more relevant to our HDRs.

Please register here if you are interested.

» read more

Are you a researcher or part of a research team looking to maximise the impact of your work?

CSIRO's ON Innovation Program is now offering a free training opportunity — the Research to Value workshop — to equip researchers with practical innovation and engagement skills to transform their research into real-world impact.

Date: Mon 16 June
Time: 12pm-4.30pm
Location: Canberra Innovation Network, Level 4, 1 Moore Street

Registration here

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'Microbial manipulation may help safeguard the future of coral reefs'
Professor Madeleine van Oppen
^{Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Australian Institute of Marine Science, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne}

Date: Wed 18 June 2025
Time: 5pm
Location: RN Robertson Lecture Theatre, Bldg 46 or via Zoom

» read more

Call For Applications | The Boswell Technologies HDR Award For Space Exploration, Moon and Mars - Closing Date 30 June 2025

Applications are being sought for the Boswell Technologies HDR Award for Space Exploration, Moon and Mars. This award is intended to aid higher degree research students undertaking research in the area of space exploration and technology, Moon and Mars.

Funding is provided by the Boswell Technologies Endowment fund, established by Prof Roderick Boswell. The award could be used towards travel, acquiring of equipment or collaboration activities. The value of the award is up to $4000 that can be shared between more than one recipient.

» read more

College Hot Desking In Physics

Finance, HR & RM Teams
Thursday Mornings
^{Lv2 Tearoom, Bldg 160}