Event Horizon

The Australian National University

Event Horizon

Research School of Physics

Weekly newsletter | vol 51 no 27 | 13–17 July 2026

Director's Message

Dear Colleagues,

I've been holding off on this story until the photos and video came through, so a slightly belated but very genuine thank you and congratulations are in order. It was wonderful to host the Minister for Resources, the Hon Madeleine King, who visited The Research School of Physics ANU on Friday 3rd July. It was great that the Minister and accompanying dignitaries had the chance to speak with our OreAI team, and my thanks to our colleagues from the National Security College for their partnership, as well as to our professional staff here at the school who helped support the event. A stream of the event can be found here, and some photos are featured in this week's OnCampus newsletter here.

Congratulations to Sai Geethika Vinnakota from the Department of Materials Physics, who was one of two students representing the College of Science and Medicine in the ANU wide Three Minute Thesis competition held last Friday. She gave a great talk on how nanopores can be used to detect heavy metal contamination in water, and congratulations to the winner, Tergel Namsrai from the ANU College of Law, Governance & Policy.

This week's research highlight comes from the Department of Electronic Materials Engineering. A new paper by Kirill Koshelev, published in Nano Letters, develops a new approach for generating directional circularly polarised light using nanostructured metasurfaces. Supported by Kirill's ARC DECRA Fellowship, the work advances compact chiral light sources with potential applications in information technologies, telecommunications, nonlinear optics and quantum photonics. If you would like your own work featured as a future research highlight, submissions can be made here, or feel free to email me directly.

Just a reminder that we have a Physics Executive meeting tomorrow, 14th July, so if there is anything you would like raised, please reach out to your Head of Department or representative.

And finally, a reminder that the IVC is hosting an all-staff Community Meeting here at Physics on Tuesday 21st July from 10.30 to 11.30am. Register here if you would like to attend.

Jodie

Australian Academy of Science 'Restore Science' Campaign

The Australian Academy of Science has launched its 'Restore Science' campaign to urge politicians to help fix Australia’s science system.

We need as many people as possible to send a letter to their local MP using this link.

The campaign is calling for system-wide reform and greater investment in research and development to secure Australia’s jobs, industries and sovereign capability. Too many researchers are leaving the system, and Australia risks losing the scientific talent needed to solve the challenges ahead.

Sending a letter takes less than a minute, and there is a template ready for you to modify before emailing your MP.

Thank you for putting your hand up to help restore science.

RSPhys LGBTIQA+ Ally Training | July 14

Date: Tues 14th July 2026
Time: 1-3pm
Location: Physics Auditorium, Bldg. 160

Register

LGBTIQA+ Ally Training is offered as part of the University's commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive campus where all people can safely work and study free of harassment or discrimination.

Ally Training provides participants with an overall understanding of why LGBTIQA+ inclusion is important to an organisation and explores challenges often faced by people who identify as LGBTIQA+ and the impact that harassment and discrimination can have in the workplace.

This 2 hour workshop will provide participants with knowledge and skills to create an inclusive culture for all LGBTIQA+ students and staff members and be an effective Ally within the ANU community.