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Director's Message
Dear Colleagues,
Thank you to everyone who took the time to put forward nominations for this year's Director's Awards. It is always heartening to see so many people recognising the work of their colleagues, and the winners will be announced at Founder's Day this Friday 23 October.
There is also some exciting news on the building front. We are hoping to have access to the newly refurbished Oliphant building for Friday, which feels very fitting for the day where we celebrate our Founder, Sir Mark Oliphant. Fingers crossed it’s open!
And this year's Founder's Day will include some additional social activities in the afternoon, so please plan to stick around after lunch. Our own Dr Ed Simpson will be hosting a trivia competition at 2:30pm in the Level 2 tearoom. Teams are six to eight people, sign-up sheets will be out on the day, and no physics knowledge is required, so all are very welcome. We will also have games set up in the courtyard, including boules, giant Jenga, giant four square, Finska and more. (I have also heard a rumour that it might be warm, so we may need ice cream…) I really hope to see lots of people taking part – it’s ok to skip the lab for the day!
This week's research highlight is a little different from our usual format. Rather than a single paper, it is a themed special issue of Interface Focus, "Geometry, Materials and the Imagination", dedicated to Emeritus Professor Stephen Hyde from the Department of Materials Physics in recognition of his pioneering work on the role of negatively curved surfaces in modelling materials. The issue was organised and edited by Myfanwy Evans, Randall Kamien, Jacob Kirkensgaard and Gerd Schröder-Turk, three of whom are former ANU Physics students. Our Associate Director HDR, A/Prof Vanessa Robins, contributed to the introductory essay on Stephen's contributions to science, as well as an original research article, "Twenty years of the EPINET database". Other papers in the issue range from entangled periodic helical structures to bicontinuous photonic crystals and the self-assembly of multi-type block copolymers. It is a lovely tribute to Stephen's influence on the field, and congratulations to Vanessa and everyone involved. You can find the full issue here. 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.
Finally, last Wednesday it was a pleasure to welcome Assoc. Prof Jiawen Li from the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, in Adelaide who gave a Director's Colloquium on how 3D nano-printed, hair-sized fibre-optic endoscopes are being developed to identify the high-risk plaques that can trigger heart attacks. It was inspiring to hear how she is taking this work from the optics lab towards first-in-human studies in 2027, a photo included below.
Jodie |
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Invisible Disabilities Week | October 18 -24
This week is Invisible Disabilities Week. In Australia and New Zealand, 1 in 5 people have a disability and roughly 85% of these are non-visible. Hidden disabilities shape how someone experiences the world, and can include conditions such as chronic pain, chronic illness, dementia, anxiety, speech or visual impairments, mobility, and respiratory conditions.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a way to communicate with other people that someone has a disability or condition that isn't immediately visible. The Sunflower can signal that someone might need assistance, support, or even just a bit more time and understanding.
To find out more about the Hidden Disability Sunflower and ways to support people with invisible disabilities 'read more'. » read more
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Bright Futures: Optics Photonics and Semiconductors Careers Panel | Oct 20
The ANU OPTICA and SPIE Student Chapter (SPRCA) is organising an online event on 20th October 2026 from 1- 2 pm AEDST, related to career opportunities (especially industrial opportunities) after PhD.
Hear from professionals, explore career pathways, and get inspired for what's next!
Date: Tues 20th Oct 2026
Time: 1-2pm
Location: Via Zoom
'(read more' for details) » read more
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2027 CSIRO Alumni Scholarship in Physics – Open For Applications
Applications are now open for the 2027 CSIRO Alumni Scholarship in Physics.
The $6,000 travel scholarship aims to connect the brightest young physicists or mathematicians to a leading research centre overseas or in Australia.
Research in physics and mathematics is fundamental for Australia's future. The founders of this scholarship know that early experience in leading overseas laboratories greatly benefits the graduate embarking on a research career and Australian science.
Apply Now
Applications close: Friday 27 November 2026 » read more
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Dark Matter in the Pub | Oct 23
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Curious about one of the biggest mysteries in the Universe? Join us for an entertaining evening exploring dark matter through short, interactive and engaging talks from Australian scientists from the ANU (Lindsey Bignell, Cedric Simenel, Roland Crocker, Zuzana Slavkovska), University of Sydney (Theresa Fruth), University of Adelaide (Kyle Leaver) and others.
From the brief history of dark matter and the Universe to the latest LZ results, we’ll explore the mysteries, puzzles, and unexpected twists in the hunt for dark matter. Expect cosmic horror stories for Halloween, ideas that fail the pub test, and a healthy dose of Dark Matter Blues as we try to make sense of the Universe’s greatest mystery.
Register here for FREE: https://events.humanitix.com/dark-matter-in-the-pub-2026-in-canberra
🔬 Discover the exciting research happening in the field
🧩 Take part in a fun science pub quiz with prizes
💡 Enjoy interactive demonstrations
🍻 Meet and chat with scientists in a relaxed pub atmosphere
In Canberra’s Badger & Co on 23 October at 7pm, organised by ANU and University of Sydney dark matter reaearchers.
Come along, ask questions, test your science knowledge, and discover the mysteries of the Universe with us!
Everyone is welcome! |
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iLAuNCH ANU Space Health Team Seeking Volunteers
Would you like to support space health research?
Researchers from the iLAuNCH ANU Space Health team are seeking volunteers aged 18-55 to participate in a study supporting the development of next-generation wearable health monitoring technologies for space medicine.
Participants will complete a short cycling exercise while wearing non-invasive sensors that measure bio-signals such as heart rate, temperature, blood flow and movement. The session takes less than one hour and will be conducted in the Leonard Huxley building. Participants will receive a $20 Coffee LAB voucher as thanks for their time.
To learn more or register your interest, contact SpaceHealth.physics@anu.edu.au or complete the study sign-up form: Space Health Bio-signal Study Sign Up Form. Eligibility criteria apply. |
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2027 ANU Women and Non-Binary People in STEM Society!
The ANU Women and Non-Binary People in STEM Society aims to provide female, femme-aligned and non-binary STEM students at the ANU the opportunity to network with each other and other STEM professionals, improve their leadership skills, and meet others in their community in a safe and supportive environment. We aim to allow students to voice their experiences in STEM, connect with each other, and gain guidance on STEM pathways.
This flagship event is a three-day conference that aims to facilitate a positive, supportive, and educative community for Women and Non-Binary People in STEM, whilst also providing networking opportunities, skill development and insight from both academic and industry representatives.
Position descriptions and further information can be found by following this link - https://forms.gle/JFoWEVagB1FWUUhaA
Applications close on the 20th of October. Applicants will be shortlisted, and short interviews will be conducted after the application close date.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact wis.leadership@anu.edu.au. |
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College Hot Desking In Physics
HR, RM & Finance Teams
Thursday Mornings
Lv2 Tearoom, Bldg 160 |
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University Travel
- When booking travel for any type of University business, it is mandatory to use ATPI - » read more
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Departmental seminars
Ms Yurika Nakayama - 21 October
Probing Underscreening in Concentrated LiCl Solutions with Atomic Force Microscopy
» read more
Mr Albert Mathew - 22 October
Symmetry breaking for strong field metaphotonics
» read more
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Founder's Day 2026 - 23 October
Physics Auditorium & Foyer, Bldg. 160 » read more
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Know your administrators...
Nikki Azzopardi, Belinda Barbour, Petra Rickman & Holly Zervos » read more
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Know your HDR Convenors...
Dr Michaela Froehlich
Dr Lilli Sun
Dr Andrew Kingston
Dr Ksenia Maximova
HDR Convenors
A/Prof Vanessa Robins
Associate Director HDR |
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Know your Student Reps...
Lingxiao Li, Lakshmi Raja, Sheil Sequeira, Luke Johnstone, Taskil Dastoor & Noah Baldwin
hdrsreps.physics@anu.edu.au |
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College of Science and Medicine Awards for Service
The College of Science and Medicine Awards for Service recognise the achievements, successes and contributions of our colleagues and celebrate the positive impact individuals and teams have on the School, College and University community.
Nominations can be made online and close at 11:55pm on Sunday 15 November. |
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Research Opportunities Funding Portal
Explore current and upcoming grants, funding opportunities, and a curated collection of forms, templates, and resources to support your research journey.
Addtional information on the Horizon Europe program, including how to become an expert evaluator as recommended by Nishant Shandilya from Euraxess, has been included on this page. » read more
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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. » read more
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