Director's Message

Dear Colleagues,

Last Friday turned on a warm and pleasant afternoon to share a drink with colleagues. Pictured above colleagues enjoying our first zero-alcohol mixer with my thanks to A/Prof James Sullivan (co-chair EDC/NPAA), Prof Vince Craig (MP) and A/Prof Pierre Portal (ADean(ED)/MSI) for arranging this Equity & Diversity event. My favourite was the German wheat beer!

My thanks for such a great turn out to the Director’s Colloquium last Friday. Prof Stefan Maier (Monash Uni) gave a great talk, seen below with Prof Elena Ostrovskaya (QST) doing the introduction.

Please note the email Prof Jodie Bradby sent this morning concerning registrations for the ANZCOP-AIP Summer meeting.

Finally, last night I was lucky enough to attend the annual Prime Minister’s Science Prize at Parliament House. It was a colourful evening and a great pleasure to see the amazing recipients, especially the primary and secondary teachers. Among the most deserving were two close colleagues well known to many; Prof Michelle Simmons (CQC2T/UNSW) winning the 2023 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, and Prof Yuerui (Larry) Lu (CECC) winning the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year. Below two snaps from last night showing Michelle’s and Larry’s acceptance speeches.

Have a good week, see you at Founder’s Day.
Tim

Megavolts Ep 7: Simple Test Could Give 20 Years Warning For Alzheimer's Disease

A simple, cheap and non-invasive blood test could help predict a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) up to 20 years before symptoms show.

Physicists from the ANU Research School of Physics have used tiny holes in a silicon dioxide membrane, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) analysis to analyse proteins in blood and search for signs of early neurodegeneration via tell-tale biomarkers that point to the onset of Alzheimer’s. 

» read more

Carers' Career Development Assistance Fund

The University recognises that many staff have caring responsibilities that may limit their access to opportunities for the development of their careers. To ameliorate the impact of this, grants up to a maximum of AUD$2000 and are available for costs related to alternative care when it is required in order for the staff member to participate in activities that contribute to their career developlent. The sort of costs covered include;

• childcare costs for dependent children;
• care costs for dependents other than children, or
• airfares for the dependent to accompany the staff member.

» read more

Clever Design Puts Cheap Green Hydrogen Within Reach

A series of clever design tweaks have boosted the efficiency of solar-powered hydrogen production, using cheap and readily available materials.

After COVID, hailstorms and bushfire smoke disrupted plans to develop entirely new solar components, the team from ANU Research School of Physics and ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics (CECC) had to rethink their plans.

The result? Existing components deployed in such an innovative and efficient way, that the team achieved a record 20.7 percent efficiency, reported in Advance Energy Materials.

» read more

ACT ASCA Forum 2023 - Nov 29

ACT ASCA Forum, November 29 @ ANU
Date: 29th November 2023
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Australian Centre on China in the World, bldg 188, ANU

Register

NSW Smart Sensing Network - Calls for Proposals Now Open

The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) is partnering with at the NSW Connectivity Innovation Network (CIN) to offer funding to support projects that develop innovative disaster sensing technologies in the fields of physical and information sciences and engineering.  Example areas include, but not limited to are: 

• Robotics  
• AI 
• Signal processing  
• Low-cost radar &  
• Internet of Things (IoT)  

All CIN and NSSN members are eligible to apply with applications closing Tuesday, 31st October 2023.

Please contact the College Research Office if you have any questions or intend to apply.

» read more

For over 60 years the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering has provided grants to help students and researchers to access national facilities around the world.  As well as scholarships listed on their website, AINSE have a number of careers events that may be of interest;

Women in STEM school: WISE School – AINSE

Postgraduate careers: Postgraduate Orientation Week – AINSE

ANU Solar Oration 2023: Generation Change – and the Role of Solar PV

Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 will see a transformation in our energy system from households to power stations and across the grids that connect them. At the same time, the global commitment to reduce emissions will see a change in Australia’s economy and exports.

Date: Thursday 9 Nov 2023
Time: 5.30–7.30pm
Location: T2, Upper Level, Kambri Cultural Centre, Kambri Precinct

» read more

New Reimbursement Process

Staff Movements

Andrew Stuchbery will be away 15/10/23 - 26/10/23
^{Steve Tims will be Acting HoD in this period}
Ben Coombes will be away 15/10/23 - 26/10/23

» read more

College Hot Desking In Physics

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

EVENTS

Departmental seminars

Ms Anneshwa Dey - 17 October
Open loop phasemeters for optical interferometry
» read more

Mr Shankar Dutt - 17 October
From fundamentals to applications: Exploring ion-tracks and nanopores in solid state membranes
» read more

Professor Raymond Volkas - 26 October
The quest for physics beyond the Standard Model: facts, fancies and opinions”
» read more

Founder's Day 2023 - 20 October

Physics Auditorium & Foyer, 9am-2pm

» read more