Dear {Contact_First_Name},
I am honoured to be elected as the president of the Australian Institute of Physics and look forward to the next two years promoting and advocating for our community.
I’d like to thank the past president Prof Nicole Bell, the past-past president Prof Sven Rogge and the whole past executive for their tireless efforts, and I look forward to working with the new executive in the coming years.
I started my physics journey in the early 1990s completing my undergraduate with honours (Quantum Chaos in Second Harmonic Generation, A Quantum State Diffusion Approach) at the ANU, PhD (Quantum Waveguide Theory) at UWA in the early 2000s.
I started working in the supercomputer industry with positions at ANU Supercomputer Facility (NCI), iVEC (Pawsey), DUG Technology, and now Defence Science Technology Group. I am an early adopter and pioneer in (computer) full immersion cooling with a patent to my name.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, I was heavily involved with the Australian Physics Olympiad. More recently, I have been Secretary and President of the WA Branch of the AIP and now Vice-President and President of the AIP nationally.
I have a strong passion for physics and have been a fierce advocate for the community for decades. Despite never having been an academic, physics has never been far away.
Now onto business!
Congratulations to our three new Honorary Fellows: Professor Anthony Thomas AC, Professor Michelle Simmons AO, and Professor Tanya Monro AC. Their outstanding achievements in academia, research, industry, and the community are highly commended. We celebrate your achievements and encourage everyone to promote them widely, as their achievements highlight where a career in physics might take you.
This year is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and I hope you all watched our own Dr Cathy Foley at the opening ceremony.
The AIP is leading the charge in Australia with several events with a quantum flavour including the Women in Physics Tour, National Careers Festival, and more yet-to-be-announced. Stay tuned.
Check out the quantum website for events and details – quantum2025.org.au. If you are hosting an event or have an idea for one, please let us know: quantum2025@aip.org.au.
There are numerous awards to be decided in 2025, including the Walter Boas Medal, the Bragg Gold Medal, and the Thomas H. Laby Medal, which are now open for nominations.
Finally, the ARC has announced a policy review of National Competitive Grants. The AIP is planning a response and would like input from our community. If you have something you would like us to consider, please send your suggestions to executive@aip.org.au.
That’s all from me, hopefully I’ll see you at a #IYQ25 event.
Stu Midgley
President, Australian Institute of Physics
president@aip.org.au
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Three new AIP Honorary Fellows
Three of Australia’s leading physicists have been elected as AIP Honorary Fellows for their exceptional contributions to physics research and leadership. This lifetime honour is the highest the AIP bestows. The new Honorary Fellows are:
Professor Anthony Thomas AC for his research in nuclear and particle physics, which has led to advances in theoretical and experimental research. Prof Thomas is Elder Professor of Physics at the University of Adelaide and Director of the University Research Centre for Complex Systems and the Structure of Matter.
Professor Michelle Simmons AO for her outstanding achievements in physics research, industry applications, mentorship, and leadership. Her research achievements include creating the field of atomic electronics, realising the first single-atom transistor and then the first integrated circuit made with atomic precision. Prof Simmons is the Founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing Pty. Ltd. and the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology at the University of New South Wales.
Professor Tanya Monro AC for her exceptional contributions to physics research, translation of research to industry, leadership of research organisations, science diplomacy and service to Australia. Prof Monro is Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist, leads the Defence Science Technology Group, and is a pioneer in fibre optics technology.
The three new AIP Honorary Fellows join five current Honorary Fellows: Prof David Booth, Prof Robert Delbourgo, Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM, Prof Bruce McKellar AC, and Prof Brian Schmidt AC.
Read more about the new Honorary Fellows here.
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Quantum computation advancements unlock huge datasets
Prof Muhammad Usman, an AIP Fellow, and his CSIRO team, have improved machine learning to process massive datasets more quickly and efficiently. They applied their method to groundwater monitoring in a recent Advance Science paper and are testing applications for MRI scans and traffic management during the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“Our hope is that as the technology becomes mature, these kinds of solutions will start becoming more impactful in real-world applications,” says Usman.
Read more.
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New technology reveals more about radio bursts
Sydney astronomers have detected more than 20 fast radio bursts using newly developed technology on the ASKAP telescope. Although we are still unsure of the origins of fast radio bursts, which occur far beyond our galaxy, their signal can be used as a probe to help astronomers understand the universe’s structure.
The new technology can cover more ground with more precision than previous methods, scanning trillions of pixels at a time to determine which galaxies the bursts are coming from.
Read more.
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AIP Award nominations open now
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Walter Boas Medal, Bragg Gold Medal, and the Thomas H. Laby Medal.
The deadline for nominations is 1 April. All nominations must be submitted online to the national AIP.
Read more and apply.
The following 2025 AIP NSW Branch awards are now open: Community Outreach to Physics (closes 4 July) and Best Graduating Student (closes 11 October).
Read more and apply.
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Have you renewed your membership?
AIP membership renewals were due on 1 January, but it’s not too late to renew.
Financial members have access to benefits including financial support, our quarterly magazine Australian Physics, and discounts to AIP events.
If you do not renew by 31 March, your membership will become unfinancial, as per the constitution.
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News and opportunities
AIP Summer Meeting call for speakers, sponsors, and focus sessions deadline has been extended until March. Read more.
The Australian Physics magazine is seeking a new editorial team member. Send expressions of interest to editors@aip.org.au. Contribute a technical article to the magazine by emailing editors@aip.org.au.
Member survey winner: Congratulations to AIP member Dr Stephen McAndrew, NSW, who has won a year's free membership for contributing to our recent member survey. Our thanks to all who participated. Your feedback is extremely valuable in helping us to improve and grow. Although the prize draw is now closed, you can still send us your feedback until 16 March.
Quantum imager: a team from ANU and the University of Melbourne has created a miniature quantum imager that uses quantum entangled photons to filter out noise and produce ultra-sensitive images. Potential applications include speeding up LiDAR and object tracking. Read more.
The AIP has just learned of Dr John Goldsworthy Collins’ death. Dr Collins worked at CSIRO in the Division of Applied Physics (mark II), and was Chief of Division 1995-1996. Dr Collins was a member of the AIP Executive for 14 years from 1977 to 1990, and was AIP President 1987-1988. He was School Captain at Perth Modern School 1946-1950. He is dearly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.
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Physics in the news
Dark energy doesn’t exist, claims new study on supernovas (The Conversation)
Quantum processor enters unprecedented territory for error correction (physics world)
Why telling bigger stories is the only way to counter misinformation (physics world)
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Research Fellow, School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University
Join a project conducting research into optical physics and spin-resonance based magnetometry. This will include developing techniques for applied quantum measurements for magnetometry applications developing Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centre in diamond-based magnetometry technology. $80,464 - $109,203 p.a. + 17% super. Applications close 19 March. Read more and apply.
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12 PhD students, ARC Training Centre for Current and Emergent Quantum Technologies
Undertake interdisciplinary research in biology, engineering, and physics aspects of quantum technologies. Projects include the development of quantum light sources, quantum detectors, and sensing, with applications in timing and communications, biology, quantum circuits, and quantum computing. $36,161 p.a. stipend + $10,000 p.a. top-up. Opportunity ends when all 12 spots filled. Read more and apply.
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Physics World Careers is an annual guide aimed at helping
those with a physics background make informed decisions about their career
path. Download a copy of Physics World / APS Careers
2025.
If you have a physics-related job or
PhD opportunity, let us know and we can provide a free link. For a small fee,
we can advertise your job as a feature with more details and a picture. Email Michael Schmidt for more information.
Need help? Contact aip@aip.org.au.
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Thank you to our supporters
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Australian Institute of Physics
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