Director's Message

Dear Colleagues,

While few in Canberra were able to see the brilliant aurora over the weekend, Lee Philip from the School Facilities team had the perfect vantage point from Denmark, WA. My thanks to him for providing these inspiring images.

On the 4th of June a small group comprised of the School Executive and leaders from some of the largest activities in Physics will met to discuss how to shape a forward-looking School-wide retreat to be held in the next few months. To kick off this planning day we will hear from experts covering some of the externalities that are shaping the Australian tertiary research and education sector. These will include; the Universities Accord, DISR Quantum initiatives, AUKUS and the Defence Exports amendments, NCRIS, “Made in Australia”. If you have other items which could be incorporated into this sitrep please pass your thoughts onto your Head. These briefings will help to elevate the discussions beyond the ANU and my aim clearly is to defocus a little what has become an unproductive narrative on the plight of the Australian university sector. Much of this discussion is, er, uninspiring and unhelpful for a fabulous research-intensive school like ours. In our 75th year we need to maintain our global and long term thinking. We have a spectacular investment in largescale research infrastructure, as a whole something to celebrate and which helps us differentiate in the sector. In the wake of the Federal budget the Academy of Science has published some helpful insights into the Federal Budget and can help us contextualise the opportunities which lay uniquely in front of us. This is not time to be a passive leader and we can all use our remarkably strong research position to demonstrate national relevance. Follow the links below for some of the Academy analyses, and note that the Academy is developing a ten-year plan.

1. A stand-alone media release to welcome the Government’s announcement of a strategic examination of the R&D system in Australia. 
2. a preliminary analysis of other science related measures.
3. an interactive data report that is a snapshot of the Australian Government’s science and research expenditure estimated in the Federal Budget. 

Have great week.
Tim

National Youth STEM Summit - 17-19 Aug 2024

The STEM Summit offers a dynamic three-day conference-style experience tailored for young Australians deciding what to do next after completing their first STEM degree or training. Delegates network with government, industry, and academic leaders while also benefiting from professional development workshops, engaging keynote presentations, and a comprehensive Careers and Study Expo showcasing the latest opportunities in STEM fields. 

When: 17-19 August 2024
Where: ANU campus

Register here

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3 Minute Thesis Competition

You are invited to test your communication and presentation skills at the 3 Minute Thesis competition which will be taking place in June and July.

3MT is an international competition for higher degree research candidates to showcase their research. Participants present to non-specialist audiences, giving insight into their research and its importance, in accessible and engaging language, for three short minutes, using only a single PowerPoint slide. 3MT is a hugely popular and thoroughly enjoyable annual event and we encourage our students to have a go!

There will be several heats of the 3 Minute Thesis:

• 18 June, 11.00am - RSPhys will be holding our local heat of the 3MT competition in the Physics Auditorium. All students who present at the RSPhys 3MT heat will be able to progress to the College of Science heat (dates to be confirmed, regardless of winning or not winning.
• 25 June - College of Science heat – further details (registration, time) to be confirmed. 
• 25 July -  ANU 3MT Final - the winners of the College round will progress to the ANU 3MT Final. 

If you are interested in participating in the RSPhys 3MT heat, please complete this form by 9 June 2024.

Everyone is invited to attend to support the presenters!

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The Heavy Ion Accelerator Symposia (HIAS) series has been organised at the ANU since 2012, and we look forward to bringing you its 8th edition in 2024. It is hosted by the Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications at the Research School of Physics together with the Heavy Ion Accelerators (HIA) project funded through the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

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The ANU Centre for Gravitational Astrophysics is hosting its annual Winter Research Program at its HQ at The Australian National University for 5 weeks from 17 June until 19 July 2024. 

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The first Global School Series in Mathematical Aspects of Data Science will be held from Mon, Jun 24 2024 to Fri, Jun 28 2024 at the Darwin Convention Centre, in Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia. The aim of the series is to expose graduate students and early-career researchers to the beautiful and exciting mathematical theory that is needed in modern data science research.

Date & time
Mon, Jun 24 2024, 8am - Fri, Jun 28 2024, 12pm

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"Opportunities and Challenges in Machine Learning for Genomics"
Dr Cheng Soon Ong

Monday, 22nd May 2024, 12.30pm

Scientific discovery is an interplay between observation and experimentation, and this talk looks at how machine learning can guide scientists towards better experiments. We discuss our experience in CSIRO, where we are researching, developing, and applying machine learning for scientific discovery.

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Australia–Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme - Now Open

The Australia – Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme for funding commencing in 2025, opened on Wednesday 3rd April 2024. This scheme is a joint initiative of Universities Australia (UA) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).  

The UA-DAAD scheme supports exchanges for Australian researchers from University Australia (UA) member universities and German researchers from German universities and research institutes. This scheme is open for the exchange of academics with a focus on early career researchers and junior scholars from both countries who are working on joint (new or already established) research projects.  

If you intend to apply for UA DAAD please complete this short Notification of Intent (NOI), including your German partner university, so that we can provide you with up to date information about the scheme.

For further informartion please contact the Research Management Team.

Abstract submissions are now open for the 25th Congress of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP 2024) to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia from 2 – 6 December 2024.

AIP themes will include:

• Astroparticle Physics
• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Condensed Matter and Materials
• Nuclear and Particle Physics
• Physics Education
• Quantum Science and Technology
• Solar Terrestrial and Space Physics
• Theoretical Physics
• General Relativity and Gravitation

The abstract submission deadline is 7 June 2024

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College Hot Desking In Physics

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

EVENTS

Departmental seminars

Ms Kristina Malinowski - 17 May
Photon statistics analysis of h-BN quantum emitters with pulsed and continuous-wave excitation through Mandel Q
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Professor Peter Gill - 17 June
How delocalized are delocalized electrons?
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