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Director's Message
Dear Colleagues,
ANU Open Day on Saturday was a fantastic occasion, and we should all be genuinely proud of the Physics team of volunteers (see list below, and apologies to anyone I have missed). A big thank you to Belinda Barbor, who did a great job organising the team and came along on the day to help as well.
This week's research highlight comes from the group of Sean Hodgman and Andrew Truscott, with first author Yogesh Sridhar, a PhD student and graduate of ANU's Master of Science (Quantum Technology) program. Working with theorists from the University of Queensland and the University of Oklahoma, the team has achieved the first experimental demonstration of Bell correlations sufficient to show that atoms can be entangled in momentum, using ultracold metastable helium atoms and coherent manipulation via laser beams. The CoSM media team have produced a short video on this work, which you can find here, and the paper in Nature Communications can be found here. Congratulations to Yogesh and the whole team!
On the research funding front, there was some welcome news last week with the announcement that Australia has joined the EU Horizon program. Details can be found here. Our school has strong and longstanding ties with European research groups, and this opens up some genuinely exciting opportunities for collaborations.
It is also very exciting to hear that ANU's Quantum Optical Ground Station will be involved in the Artemis moon mission, which is set to launch over Easter and will demonstrate the technology in a real operational context. This is a wonderful milestone for the team, and I think I speak for all of us in wishing them the very best for a smooth launch and a successful demonstration. You can read more in a media report here.
There are also two important service and leadership opportunities within the school that I would like to draw your attention to. We are seeking two new HDR Convenors and we are also looking for a Chair (or co-Chairs) of the school's IDEA committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access). The co-chair model is one that has worked well in the past; it is how Vince Craig and I managed the role some years ago, and it can make the commitment much more manageable. The Chair will also have college-level engagement. Both roles would suit staff looking to broaden their experience in school-wide leadership, and Expressions of Interest for both will be circulated in the coming days.
Finally, as we head into the Easter break, I hope everyone gets a chance to rest and do something they enjoy. The Event Horizon will take a short break next week and return on Monday 13th April. In the meantime, a heads-up that the next Physics Executive meeting is on Tuesday 14th April. Please pass any agenda items through to your Head of Department or representative ahead of that date.
Jodie
For meeting requests for the Director please use the jodie.bradby@anu.edu.au calendar |
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ANU Open Day Volunteers
Adrian Sheppard
Paul Francis (who covered both the Physics and RSAA)
Ashutosh Jadhav
Zuzana Slavkovska
Maya Sharp
Ash Pascal
Taleb Alwadi
Sheil Sequeira
John Debs
Alexandra Popko
Lakshmi Raja
Sam Case
Aditya Singh
Pranay Khosla
&
Albert Mathew |
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PhB Mentors Needed
This year we have 12 first-year Physics students in the PhB program, some of the smartest high-school graduates from across the country.
Each student is to be assigned an academic mentor for their time at ANU, and I would like to make a call for people willing to take on this role.
This typically involves 1-2 meetings per year to provide advice regarding their degree. All students should do research projects and also enter the Honours Program, so this is an excellent opportunity to expand your research groups with extra hands.
Please contact me to express your interest, and 'read more' for further details about the program.
Yuri Kivshar
PhB Physics Coordinator » read more
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Women of Colour in STEM Awards | Nominations Open Now
The Women of Colour in STEM Awards are back in 2026! These awards celebrate trailblazing women who ignite innovation, drive change, and break barriers—lighting the way for future generations. We want to recognise the unique challenges faced by women of colour in STEM, while celebrating your resilience, determination, and hard work.
You can nominate someone or even submit an entry for yourself!
Nominations & Submissions Close 12th April |
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TOP 5 – ABC Media Residency Program 2026
The ABC TOP 5 is for early-career PhD scholars with a passion for communicating their work to non-academic audiences, and the five winners in each category get the opportunity to spend two weeks at the ABC learning about the media and developing new communication skills.
Applications for 2026 are open from 9am (AEST) Tuesday March 3 through to 11.59 (AEST) Monday April 6. » read more
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The Brian Robson Award | Applications Open Now
Each year the Research School of Physics may offer one or more awards known as the Brian Robson Award. Funding for this Award has been provided by an endowment made to The Australian National University in 2025 by Emeritus Honorary Professor Brian Robson.
The objective of the Award is to assist international or domestic Honours students, postgraduate research candidates and early career researchers (ECR) working in the area of Theoretical Physics in the Research School of Physics to attend a conference or workshop, make a collaborative visit to an overseas institution or in an Australian university, host a collaborator, or organise a scientific event (workshop, summer school). It is the intention of the Research School and the donor, that the Award is used to enhance career opportunities and experience of ECRs and students in theoretical physics, preferably in the research area of nuclear and particle physics.
For eligibility and how to apply, please 'read more'.
Applications close May 1st. » read more
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2026 Young Achiever Awards NSW/ACT | Nominations Open Now
Across New South Wales and the ACT, young people are making a real difference - in their workplaces, communities, schools, businesses and beyond.
The 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for NSW/ACT exist to recognise, encourage and celebrate these individuals, aged 30 and under, who are creating positive change and helping shape the future of NSW and the ACT. Nominations close 10th April, 2026.
Nominate Now » read more
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Lunch Bites | April 10
Are you, or do you know, a PhD student looking to strengthen your professional profile and improve your visibility for future career opportunities?
Join us for the next CRA Lunch Bites session delivered in partnership with Campus Plus, focusing on how PhD students and early career researchers can use LinkedIn strategically as a professional tool.
Date: Fri 10 April 2026
Time: 1-2pm AEST
Location: Online (Zoom)
Register
Presented by Campus Plus in partnership with Cooperative Research Australia » read more
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Easter Public Holidays
Friday April 3rd & Monday April 6th |
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College Hot Desking In Physics
HR & RM Teams
Thursday Mornings
Lv2 Tearoom, Bldg 160 » read more
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University Travel
- When booking travel for any type of University business, it is mandatory to use ATPI - » read more
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2026 Wall Planners
2026 wall planners are available now at Reception (C3.07). |
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Departmental seminars
Dr Hoang-Phuong Phan - 2 April
Semiconductor nanomembranes for organ-on-chips, wearables, and implantable applications
» read more
Ms Jessica Wierbik - 8 April
Ion Track Morphology in Single Crystals: The Role of Structural Anisotropy
» read more
Ms Laura Valencia Molina - 8 April
Optical nanoantennas and metasurfaces for infrared upconversion to the visible
» read more
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Director's Colloquium - 30 April
100% renewable energy and all that - Professor Andrew Blakers » read more
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Know your administrators...
Nikki Azzopardi, Belinda Barbour, Petra Rickman & Michelle Bettanin » read more
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Know your HDR Convenors...
A/Prof Vanessa Robins
Dr Michaela Froehlich
HDR Convenors
Prof Vince Craig
Associate Director HDR |
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Pint of Science Festival | May 18-20
The Pint of Science festival, held annually in May, offers researchers the opportunity to engage with their local community and share their recent work in a relaxed and casual pub environment.
We love having researchers from all discipline areas and levels of experience and want the community where you work or live, to hear and learn about what you do!
To express your interest in being a speaker, please 'read more'. » read more
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HR Support For CoSM SharePoint
The People and Culture division have re-aligned work within functional teams to improve consistency and quality of advice across the University.
This includes re-aligning recruitment support to the People and Culture recruitment team for CoSM. Information to assist CoSM Schools and areas, and to provide some clarity on who to contact for support, can be found at the HR Support for CoSM SharePoint. » read more
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