Posted on behalf of Warrick Couch, President of the Australian Institute of Physics.
This is my first bulletin as AIP President, and I’m looking forward to carrying on in the spirit of my predecessor, Rob Robinson.
I’m an astronomer by trade, and especially interested in the evolution of galaxies. I’m the Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory, and before that I was Director of the Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing at Swinburne University. A particular research highlight for me was being a member of the Supernova Cosmology Project, one of the two teams that discovered the universe’s accelerating expansion and whose leader, Saul Perlmutter, shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics with Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess (from the other team).
This year at the AIP we’ll be focusing on growing our membership, and we’ll be asking for your help by encouraging colleagues to join. We’ll also be modernising our constitution this year. And now that our Women in Physics group has been reactivated, we’ll be making sure it gets noticed.
We’re also planning a new prize for our members who are early-career researchers. Details will be announced soon, but in the meantime nominations are open for the Walter Boas Medal for excellence in physics research, the Bragg Gold Medal for the best PhD thesis, and the AIP Award for Outstanding Service to Physics.
On top of this, our NSW branch has their own award for community outreach, won last year by space science educator Ken Silburn—more details are below.
In the spirit of the recent Oscars (and wasn’t it great to see some physics in the limelight this year), prize nomination season is truly upon us, with the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, the Eureka Prizes, the Australian Academy of Science’s honorific awards, FameLab and Tall Poppies all open for entries.
Coming up on 24–25 March, the AIP will be taking part in Science and Technology Australia’s annual Science Meets Parliament event, bringing researchers together with parliamentarians, policymakers and the media. Our representatives will be Joanna Turner (Qld), Peter Metaxas (WA) and Laurence Stamatescu (SA).
There is plenty more to read in this bulletin, with events from our state branches and physicists’ views on poetry and climate science. And don’t forget to check our News in Brief section, with highlights of research from around the country and around the world.
Please note that replies to this email go to Science in Public, who send the bulletin out for me. You can contact me directly on aip_president@aip.org.au, and there is a comprehensive list of contact details at the end of the bulletin.
Regards,
Warrick Couch
President, Australian Institute of Physics
aip_president@aip.org.au
In this issue…
AIP member news
Medals and awards open for nominations
Every year, the AIP recognises the excellent work done by physicists around the country. This year, we’re calling for nominations for the following prizes:
- Walter Boas Medal, for contributions to physics research by a member of the AIP.
- Bragg Gold Medal, for the most outstanding PhD thesis in physics at an Australian university.
- Outstanding Service to Physics, for exceptional contribution by an individual who gives great amounts of time and effort to furthering physics as a discipline.
Nominations for all these prizes close on 1 July 2015.
Submissions for the Walter Boas Medal and the Award for Outstanding Service to Physics should be sent to Olivia Samardzic, aip_execmember_one@aip.org.au, while the Bragg Gold Medal nominations are made by Australian universities to their state AIP branch.
Further information on all the awards can be found on the AIP website.
NSW community outreach award
Later in the year, our New South Wales Branch is offering a prize for an individual in that state who’s made notable contributions to physics education or community engagement and has demonstrated passion for the study of physics.
The 2014 winner was Ken Silburn, who is the organiser of the iSTEM Space Academy Program—which for the past 5 years has given students and teachers the chance to visit the US Space and Rocket Centre—as well as a teacher and science education leader in Sydney’s South West.
In September this year, Ken will deliver the 2015 Einstein Lecture at the Powerhouse Museum.
Nominations for the NSW community outreach award close 9 October 2015—for more details on how to apply, see the NSW AIP website.
Topics for the Victorian Young Physicists’ Tournament
Every year, our Victorian Branch’s Education Committee runs a competition for year 10 science and year 11 physics students to conduct experimental investigations on three topics, and then meet to present and defend their findings.
The topics for the 2015 tournament are:
- Hovercraft. A simple model hovercraft can be built using a CD and a balloon filled with air connected via a tube. Exiting air can lift the device making it float over a surface with low friction. Investigate how the relevant parameters influence the time of the ‘low-friction’ state.
- Wet and Dark. Clothes can look darker or change colour when they get wet. Investigate the phenomenon.
- Liquid light guide. A transparent vessel is filled with a liquid (e.g. water). A jet flows out of the vessel. A light source is placed so that a horizontal beam enters the liquid jet. Under what conditions does the jet operate like a light guide?
Registrations are open until 13 November 2015, but teams are able to get started well before then. The final tournament, at which the teams meet and compete, will be held in the first week of December.
For more details, including how to register, see the Vicphysics website.
Regular WA AIP meetings
As of 18 February, the Western Australian branch of the AIP has started a series of general meetings.
Every two months, members and non-members alike are invited to come along to the Physics Building at the University of Western Australia to hear what the state branch is up to, listen to a few short presentations and meet their fellow physicists.
The next meeting will be at 5.30 pm on Wednesday 15 April. Find out more at the AIP events calendar.
Other physics news
Eyes on the prizes
No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before. —Stephen Hawking
Professor Hawking’s thoughts aside, there are several opportunities for physicists to be recognised in upcoming science prizes.
Nominations for Australia’s richest science awards, the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, opened last week. The $700,000 prizes reward excellence in research and science education, including commercialisation of science (new in 2015), innovation in physical science, early-career scientists, and secondary school science teachers. Nominations close 26 March industry.gov.au/scienceprizes Last year’s recipient of the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year was CSIRO’s Matthew Hill for his work on metal–organic frameworks for practical industrial application.
Nominations for the Australia Museum’s Eureka Prizes are also open. Australia’s most comprehensive science prizes, totalling $160,000, include honours for defence, multidisciplinary research, international collaboration (also new in 2015), and school students. Nominations close 30 April australianmuseum.net.au/eureka
The Australian Academy of Science is also inviting nominations for its 2016 honorific awards for scientific excellence. These include the Pawsey Medal for physics, the Frederick White Prize for physical, terrestrial and planetary sciences, the Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science, and the Ian Wark Medal and Lecture in applied science. Nominations close 20 April www.science.org.au/honorific-awards
FameLab aims to hone young scientists’ presentation skills. Early-career researchers are given three minutes to explain their field of study with ‘no PowerPoint, no lab coats, no jargon’. State finals feed into a national final, and the winner competes at FameLab International in the UK. Applications close 2 March britishcouncil.org.au/programmes/science/famelab
Tall Poppies recognises excellence in early career research, alongside a proven ability to engage the community with science. Nominations close 5 April www.aips.net.au/tall-poppies
Wow! —Eddie Redmayne
Physics professor pens modern bush poem
As recently covered on ABC radio’s NSW Country Hour, University of New South Wales physicist (and AIP member) Joe Wolfe enjoys writing comic poetry.
One of his latest works is a modern re-imagining of Banjo Paterson’s “Clancy of the Overflow”, inspired by a hand-painted advertisement for a shearer, complete with mobile number.
Clancy@theoverflow
I had written him a text, which I’d sent hoping that next time he came in mobile coverage, he’d have time to say hello.
But I heard he’d lost his iPhone, so I emailed him from my phone – just addressed as follows Clancy@theoverflow.
And the answer, redirected, wasn’t quite what I’d expected; it wasn’t from the shearing mate who’d answered once before.
His ISP provider wrote it, and verbatim I will quote it, ‘This account has been suspended, you won’t hear from him no more’.
By Joe Wolfe
Unreported is whether a thumbnail dipped in tar can operate a capacitive touchscreen.
You can listen to Joe’s story on the ABC Rural website.
Jury in on climate science—Brian Schmidt
With the release of an updated version of the Australian Academy of Science’s climate change Q&A, physics Nobel Laureate Brian Schmidt has joined other prominent scientists in speaking out on the expert consensus on climate science.
“Most of the policy, business and political leaders I meet immediately apologise for their lack of knowledge of science. Except when it comes to climate science,” says Brian. “Whenever this subject comes up, it never ceases to amaze me how each person I meet suddenly becomes an expert.”
The academy’s booklet, written and reviewed by Australian climate scientists, explains how the Earth’s climate has changed over the past century due to greenhouse gases emitted by human activities, and how continuing emissions will lead to further warming.
You can read Brian Schmidt’s opinion column in The Sydney Morning Herald.
And for a more technical presentation on the thermodynamics of climate change, you can download David Jamieson’s opening address at the 2015 Victorian Physics Teachers Conference (PDF 2.34 MB).
Pioneering women of physics
To mark International Women’s Day the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics has drawn up a collection of memes that celebrate the outstanding contributions that women have made to physics. To visit and share, see Pioneering women of physics.
AIP events
VCE Physics Days at Luna Park
Tue 3 – Fri 6 Mar
St Kilda VIC
For students and teachers
Put your physics to the test on Luna Park rides.
Quantum emitters in wide band gap semiconductors
Wed 18 Mar, 6:30 pm
Trinity Grammar School, NSW
Public lecture
Igor Aharanovich explains how to make single photon sources from diamonds, in this joint event with The Royal Society of NSW.
Dark matter
Thu 19 Mar, 7 pm
University of Adelaide
Public lecture
In addition to a talk by Lewis Tunstall, this event will include the presentation of the Bronze Bragg medal (for SA’s highest achievement in 2014 year-12 Physics) and Bronze Bragg certificates (for students who achieved a merit).
News in brief
Stephen Hawking responds to Oscar win
The cosmologist posted on Facebook: “Congratulations to Eddie Redmayne for winning an #Oscar for playing me in The Theory of Everything Movie. Well done Eddie, I’m very proud of you.”
Award for dark matter lab study
A study by the Northern Grampians Shire Council into reusing a Stawell gold mine to search for dark matter has won them the Local Government Professional Members Association Award.
Early supermassive black hole challenges theories
An international team including ANU astrophysicists has discovered a quasar that formed just 900 million years after the Big Bang, far earlier than thought possible.
Testing the reality of quantum mechanics
Research at the University of Queensland supports wavefunctions being real and not just an expression of limited knowledge.
The quest for nuclear fusion
ABC Radio National’s Future Tense reports on progress at the ITER experimental reactor in France, with comment from ANU’s Matthew Hole.
Galaxies die young by losing gas
Astrophysicists at the University of Western Australia find galaxies that redden prematurely by ejecting gas needed for star formation.
Water vapour models predict severe weather
RMIT researchers use four-dimensional GPS models to reconstruct the dynamics of atmospheric water vapour.
Gravitational wave discovery still clouded by galactic dust
Joint analysis of the BICEP2 data confirms that polarisation signals were caused by dust within our galaxy, not gravitational waves from cosmic inflation.
Dispute settled over iron-60 halflife
The ANU’s Anton Wallner and colleagues nail down half-life of iron isotope to 2.6 million years.
Semiconductor physics explains shiny fish
Scientists from UWA explain how light passing through layers in fish skin acts like electrons in semiconductors, giving them a silvery, mirror-like appearance.
Events
denotes AIP events
ACT
Katie Mack: Dispatches from a Dark Universe
Thu, 5 Mar 2015, 12pm
Leonard Huxley lecture Theatre, Australian National University, Mills Road, Acton ACT
Colloquium
Science meets Parliament
Tue, 24 – Wed, 25 Mar 2015
National Convention Centre Canberra & Parliament House
Conference
Tamara Davis: Warp drives and bending time
Tue, 5 May 2015, 5:30pm
Shine Dome, 15 Gordon Street
Public lecture
Yuri Kivshar: Metamaterials: invisibility cloaks and bending light
Tue, 4 Aug 2015, 5:30pm
Shine Dome, 15 Gordon Street
Public lecture
NSW
Science 50:50 Women in Science Symposium
Fri, 6 Mar 2015, 11am
Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Symposium with free video conference
Father of Flight: Lawrence Hargrave and the Flying Machine
Fri 6, Sat 7, Sat 14, Fri 20, Fri 27, Sat 28 Mar 2015, 7:30pm
Excelsior Hall Thirroul, Tradies Club Helensburgh, Hillcrest House Stanwell Park
Film screening
Igor Aharonovich: Quantum emitters in wide band gap semiconductors
Wed, 18 Mar 2015, 6:30pm
Trinity Grammar School, Professional Development Centre, 5 Thomas Street Lewisham
Public lecture
Angie Wilcock: The Middle Years—change and challenge
Tue, 24 Mar 2015, 5pm
Trinity Grammar School, Professional Development Centre, 5 Thomas Street, Lewisham NSW
For teachers
QLD
Carl Sagan’s COSMOS
Fri, 6 Mar 2015, 3:45pm
QUT, Gardens Point, Brisbane
Screening
SA
Lewis Tunstall: Dark Matter
Thu, 19 Mar 2015, 7pm
Napier 102 lecture theatre, Napier building, University of Adelaide
Public lecture
TAS
No upcoming events currently listed.
VIC
Mount Burnett Observatory members night
Fri, 6, 13, 20 & 27 Mar 2015, 8pm
420 Paternoster Road, Mount Burnett, VIC
VCE Physics Days at Luna Park
Tue, 3 Mar – Fri, 6 Mar 2015
18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda
For students and teachers
James Benford: Should we announce ourselves to the galaxy? The debate on Messaging to Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (METI)
Fri, 13 Mar 2015, 6:30pm
ATC101, ATC building, Swinburne University, Hawthorn campus
Public lecture
Practical Activities and Equipment Fair
Mon, 30 Mar 2015
Camberwell Grammar School, 55 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury VIC 3126
For teachers
Beginning Physics Teachers In-Service
Tue, 31 Mar 2015
Camberwell Grammar School, 55 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury VIC 3126
For teachers
WA
Hermann Nicolai: Symmetries – Building Blocks of the Laws of Nature?
Tue, 17 Mar 2015, 6pm
Woolnough Lecture Theatre, Geography and Geology Building, University of Western Australia
Public lecture
Easter Eclipse
Sat, 4 Apr 2015, 6:15pm
Old Perth Observatory, 4 Havelock Street, West Perth
Public event
AIP general meeting
Wed, 15 Apr 2015, 5:30pm
5th floor tea room, Physics Building, University of Western Australia, Crawley
All welcome
Conferences
Locate15 Conference
10–12 March 2015, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Qld
NEW Science meets Parliament
24–25 Mar 2015, National Convention Centre Canberra & Parliament House, ACT
NEW 3rd International Workshop on Rock Physics (3IWRP)
13–17 April 2015, Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges, WA
Astronomy from the Ground Up Teacher Workshop
15–17 May 2015, Parkes Radio Telescope, NSW
VIII Southern Cross Conference Series: Multiwavelength dissection of galaxies
18–22 May 2015, Sydney, NSW
NEW AEIC 2015 — 13th Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference
8–10 July 2015, Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay, NSW
AOCNS 2015 – 2nd Asia-Oceania Conference on Neutron Scattering
19–23 July 2015, Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific, Manly, NSW
International Conference on the Properties and Applications of Dielectric Materials (ICPADM)
19–22 July 2015, University of New South Wales, Kensington NSW
The 10th Principles and Applications of Control in Quantum Systems (PRACQSYS) Workshop 2015
20–24 July 2015, University of New South Wales, Kensington NSW
Elizabeth and Frederick White Research Conference: Quantum astronomy and stellar interferometry: celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Narrabri Stellar Intensity Interferometer
17–24 August 2015, Darlington Center, NSW
Conference on Laser Ablation (COLA) 2015
31 August – 4 September 2015, Pullman Cairns International Hotel, Cairns, Qld
NEW American Association of Petroleum Geologists International Conference & Exhibition 2015 (AAPG/SEG 2015)
13–16 September 2015, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Vic
IBIC 2015 – International Beam Instrumentation Conference
13–17 September 2015, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic
ICALEPCS 2015: International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems
17–24 October 2015, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic
ADASS XXV: The 25th Annual Astronomical Data Analysis Software & Systems Conference
25–30 October 2015, Rydges World Square, Sydney NSW
NEW 9th Asia-Oceania Forum for Synchrotron Radiation Research (AOFSRR 2015) in conjunction with User Meeting 2015
25–27 November 2015, National Centre for Synchrotron Science at the Australian Synchrotron, Vic
Contributions and contact details
Please get in contact if you have any queries about physics in Australia:
- Warrick Couch, AIP President aip_president@aip.org.au
- the AIP website is www.aip.org.au
- membership enquiries to the Secretariat aip@aip.org.au or 03 9895 4477
- ideas for articles for Australian Physics to the Chair of the Editorial Board and Acting Editor Brian James, on b.james@physics.usyd.edu.au, or the editorial board, which is listed in your latest copy of the magazine
- contributions to the bulletin (e.g. activities, conferences and announcements) to Errol Hunt from Science in Public on physics@scienceinpublic.com.au or call (03) 9398 1416, by the 23rd of the month prior
- the AIP Events Calendar to check what’s on, and also to submit your own physics-related events (any queries to Errol, as above)
- to receive these bulletins, please email Errol, as above (you don’t need to be a member of the Institute).
(Sent by Niall Byrne, Science in Public, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Physics, www.aip.org.au)