The Australian National University

Event Horizon

Research School of Physics

 

Weekly newsletter | vol 51 no 13 | 6–10 April 2026

 

Director's Message

 

 

 

 

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

 

ASCA Pitch Day 2026 – Resilient Command and Control

If your research relates to Defence, please consider applying for the following: ASCA Pitch Day 2026 – Resilient Command and Control | Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator.

The Commercialisation & IP team is offering support to frame the pitch for anyone interested. 

Please watch the webinar recording for details on what Defence is looking for.

The external deadline is 14th of April.

Please reach out directly to viraj.agnihotri@anu.edu.au

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

» read more

 

Easter Public Holidays

Friday April 3rd & Monday April 6th

 

College Hot Desking In Physics

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

» read more

 

University Travel

- When booking travel for any type of University business, it is mandatory to use ATPI -

» read more

 

RSPhys Executive Meeting Minutes

» read more

 

2026 Wall Planners

2026 wall planners are available now at Reception (C3.07).

 

EVENTS

 

Departmental seminars

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

 

Director's Colloquium - 30 April

100% renewable energy and all that - Professor Andrew Blakers

» read more

 

Know your administrators...

Nikki Azzopardi, Belinda Barbour, & Petra Rickman

» read more

 

Know your school team...

Joseph Hong -
Stores/Purchasing Team Leader

Goran Radovanovic -
Stores Services  

Patrick Romero - Stores/Purchasing Services 

purchasing.physics@anu.edu.au

Purchasing - RSPhys Intranet
Stores - RSPhys Intranet

 

Know your student admin...

Liudmila (Luda) Mangos -
Higher Degree Research admin
C3.02C, Cockcroft bldg
hdr.cosm@anu.edu.au

pec.physics@anu.edu.au

 

Know your school team...

Phil Dooley -
Manager, Marketing and Communications (part time)
phil.dooley@anu.edu.au
0414 945 577

Got a story idea? Info on ANU Physics Sci Comm is here

 

Know your HDR Convenors...

A/Prof Vanessa Robins
Dr Michaela Froehlich
HDR Convenors

Prof Vince Craig
Associate Director HDR

 

Know your Student Reps...

Victoria Bashu, Lingxiao Li & Lakshmi Raja

hdrsreps.physics@anu.edu.au

 

Know your school team...

Rick Walsh -
WHS Manager

Huma Latif -
WHS Officer

whs.physics@anu.edu.au

 

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

 

WHS Sharepoint

» read more

 

Physics @ ANU

 

 


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