Director's Message

Dear Colleagues,

The ANU by 2030 strategy document is now finalized and can be found here. Many of you have contributed over the last few months through various forums and discussions within Departments. Thank you for your efforts!

The School will mark Wear It Purple Day on Friday 28 August, celebrating diversity and promoting safe, supportive and inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ young people. Staff and students are warmly invited to join us for a morning tea in the foyer of the new Physics Building from 10.00am–11.00am. There are also many ways to show your support, including wearing purple, sharing information with colleagues, and encouraging conversations about inclusion, respect and allyship. We are grateful to She Shapes History for generously donating two tour tickets, which will be awarded at the morning tea. More information about Wear It Purple Day is available at wearitpurple.org, and our new Physics Support Resources webpage brings together information about support services available to staff and students.

The School hosted the first edition of the Science Movie Festival as part of National Science Week. Five embassies (the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland) organized panel discussions and screenings of science documentaries over three nights, covering topics ranging from space, dark matter (with a keynote presentation by Dr Zuzana Slavkoska, NPAA) and dark energy, to neuroscience and AI. Many thanks to the volunteers from the School who helped make this event a success. I look forward to next year’s edition!

Big thanks as well to the volunteers who gave their time to represent the School at the ANU’s 80th anniversary celebrations. It is always a pleasure to hear children asking whether they can eat the holographic chocolate they have just made! The anniversary was also an opportunity to celebrate the reopening of University House. I am sure the old tradition of winding down with a drink on Friday after work, together with colleagues and families, will soon be revived.

The ANU Research Opportunity Funding Portal is now active and can be found here. The portal is intended to replace emails announcing funding opportunities. It includes numerous funding agencies, and users can filter the opportunities, e.g. to ARC and Horizon Europe.

Prof. Hoe Tan is acting School Director this week.

Cedric Simenel (Acting Director)

Wear It Purple Day Morning Tea | Fri 28

Founded in 2010, Wear It Purple is a volunteer and youth-led not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fostering safe, supportive, and inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ young people. The day provides an opportunity to raise awareness, celebrate diversity, and help ensure that all LGBTQIA+ young people know they are valued, respected, supported, and not alone.

The School will hold a morning tea in the foyer of bldg. 160 on Friday 28th August, 10-11am.

» read more

ANU LGBTIQA+ Ally Training | Sep 14

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.

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.

After completing the training, participants can join the ANU LGBTIQA+ Ally Network. The Ally Network comprises a group of staff and students across campus committed to providing an inclusive and respectful environment for people who identify as LGBTIQA+. As part of the collective, members have access to training, events and networking opportunities throughout the year.

Date: Mon 14 Sep 2026
Time: 1-3pm

Have you done the course? Feel free to come for a refresher if you’re interested!

» read more

The John Carver Seminar 2026 is coming up on 18th of September 2026, starting at 10am in the Physics Auditorium (Building 160). MPhil and PhD students from across the Research School of Physics are warmly invited to take part in this opportunity.

The John Carver Seminar Series is a great opportunity for HDR students to present their research to the wider School community, develop their science communication skills, and showcase the exciting work happening across our research areas.

Participants will present their research in a 15-minute talk format to the audience of fellow students and RSPhys Colleagues, and a panel of judges. The 3-judge panel will consist of two academics and a student, with the competition rules and judging criteria below.

Interested in taking part? Submit an Expression of Interest using this form. EOIs close Friday the 4th of September.

» read more

Experience the heart of Australian policy-making and politics through the Australian National Internships Program. ANIP internships are open to current undergraduate and postgraduate students from all academic disciplines.

Applications for ANIP Internships for Semester 1 2027 (for placements in February to May) are now open and will close on 30 September 2026.

» read more

The NYSF National Youth STEM Summit is a three-day conference-style event specifically designed to help those studying in STEM to discover their professional identity and take real steps toward their dream STEM career.

This year’s NYSF National Youth STEM Summit has the theme: Shaping Your STEM Career. Vision. Momentum. Pathways.

Over three purposefully designed days and customised content streams, attendees will explore the future of science and technology pathways, build the STEM adjacent skills employers are looking for, and connect with the opportunities, people and organisations that will define their careers.

Date: 12-14 Sep 2026

For further information, and to register 'read more'.

» read more

Staff Movements

Prof Jodie Bradby will be on leave from 14/8/26 through 1/9/26
^{Prof Cedric Simenel & Prof Hoe Tan will be acting Director over this period*}

» read more

College Hot Desking In Physics

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

RSPhys Executive Meeting Minutes

» read more

EVENTS

Departmental seminars

Professor Chris Allton - 25 August
Why is the strong force strong? What topology tells us about quark interactions
» read more

Mr Taleb Alwadi - 26 August
From Ion tracks to porosity: Swift heavy-Ion modification of InSb and GaSb
» read more

ANU Open Research Access

As a matter of policy, research papers must be made open access via deposit in any repository such as arXiv, or the ANU Open Research Repository.

» read more