Physics in September 2009: the Square Kilometre Array bid, Eureka Prize and L'Oreal For Women in Science winners and upcoming activities for the International Year of Astronomy

1 September, 2009

AIP President’s blog, Australian Institute of Physics

Welcome to my monthly newsletter to people around the country with an interest in physics, following a big showing by physics in National Science Week. Congratulations to all involved in holding events-I know of at least 120 physics events that took place.

This month I report on FASTS, the Square Kilometre Array bid, Eureka Prize and L’Oreal For Women in Science winners, upcoming activities for the International Year of Astronomy, and new places to place or find physics jobs on the net.

I also have details of science prizes and conferences and the many physics-related activities undertaken by the AIP, universities and other organisations. The Women in Physics Lecturer for 2010 is now open for nomination (until 15 October), and this year is open to women working in Australia or overseas. There are some terrific branch activities, including those of the Victorian branch Education Committee.

So that they stand out in the long list of conferences, new entries are now marked. One newly listed conference is 2010 International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICONN 2010), Sydney, for which abstracts close 18 September.

AIP events across the country

Australian Capital Territory

ACT: Wednesday 2 September, 6pm, ACT AIP

TITLE: Is there more than one Universe?

SPEAKER: Charley Lineweaver, ANU

VENUE: Lecture Theatre Chem T1, Building 34, ANU

More info: http://www.act.aip.org.au//aip_home.php

New South Wales

NSW: AIP NSW branch meetings, held in conjunction with the University of Sydney

The NSW branch holds meetings in the Slade Theatre, School of Physics, University of Sydney, from 6.30 pm. Refreshments are available from 6pm and entrance to all events is free. For more info, contact Frederick Osman on fred_osman@exemail.com.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
22 September	Michael Box, University of NSW	Climate forcing by atmospheric aerosols
27 October	Iver Cairns, University of Sydney	Space science in Australia: the next 10 years

NSW: Thursday 19 November, NSW AIP

TITLE: Physics in industry day 2009: NSW Medical Physics Showcase

Healthcare in Australia and around the world is too expensive, it is horrendously labour intensive and access is far from equitable. While new technology has improved health, it has done nothing to reduce overall cost – quite the opposite – healthcare expenditure is rising alarmingly as a percentage of GDP.

Effective new medical products and therapies tend to be expensive and drive up demand. If our future health systems are going to keep us healthy at a reasonable cost, then we must find new delivery models.

Speakers from research, industry and government will provide their perspectives on this challenge, as well as industry trends, new developments in the lab/clinic, and some local commercial successes, at this Australian Institute of Physics event.

VENUE: CSIRO, Lindfield facility, Sydney

More info at http://physics-industry.com/ or contact Scott Martin on scott.martin@csiro.au or follow it on facebook or email

Queensland

QLD: Tools of science series, The Physics Museum, Qld AIP and School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Qld

Tools of science talks are held on Tuesdays in Room 222 Parnell Building, St Lucia campus, University of Queensland, from 6-7pm. The lecture, illustrated where possible with items from the Physics Museum collection, will be followed by a discussion period where participants will be encouraged to show items they have brought along. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the School of Mathematics and Physics. The Physics Museum will be open from 5.30pm.

More info at the Tools of Science website or contact Norman Heckenberg on (07) 3365 3369 or heckenberg@physics.uq.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
15 September	Alan Emmerson	W5 and the Littlemore Click
20 October	Kim Hajek	Science and literature in the late nineteenth-century France

QLD: Women in physics lecture tour, schools talks, Thursday 3 – Friday 4 September, Qld AIP

Christine Charles from the Australian National University, will give a lecture – Children of the stars, plasma is the fourth dimension of matter – at the following venues.

Date	Venue	Contact
4 September	10am, Queensland University of Technology (E207, QUT, Gardens Point campus)	Stephen Hughes at sw.hughes@qut.edu.au
4 September	1pm, Lourdes Hill College, Duhig Hall, 86 Hawthorn Road, Hawthorn	Mark Young at mark.young@churchie.com.au or Raelee Lewis at admin@lhc.qld.edu.au

QLD: Women in physics public lecture, Thursday 3 September, 6.30pm, Qld AIP

TITLE: To the planets or just to the stars, plasmas pave the path

SPEAKER: Christine Charles, Australian National University

VENUE: The University of Queensland, Room 222 Parnell Building, St Lucia Campus

For more info contact Joel Corney at corney@physics.uq.edu.au

QLD: International Year of Astronomy events, Qld AIP and the School of Mathematics and Physics at The University of Queensland

For more info contact Lynelle Ross (07) 3346 9935 or at l.ross@smp.uq.edu.au

Date	Talk
17 September	Charley Lineweaver, Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics/Research School of Earth Science, ANU, will discuss the possibility of more than one Universe.
12 November	Brian Boyle, Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO, will explain the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest proposed radio telescope, and Australia’s involvement in this ambitious project.

South Australia

SA: Wednesday 23 September, 7.30pm, SA AIP

AIP Women In Physics Lecture Tour – Public Lecture

TITLE: To planets or just to the shops, plasmas pave the path

SPEAKER: Christine Charles, Australian National University

VENUE: Napier 102 Lecture Theatre, Napier Building, University of Adelaide

More info from Emma Heading Emma.Heading@dsto.defence.gov.au

SA: Tuesday 22 September, 1-3.30pm, SA AIP

AIP Women In Physics Lecture Tour – Secondary (Yrs 9 -11) Schools’ Student Presentation

TITLE: Children of the stars, plasma is the fourth dimension of matter

SPEAKER: Christine Charles, Australian National University

VENUE: Bragg Lecture Theatre, University of Adelaide

More info from Emma Heading Emma.Heading@dsto.defence.gov.au

SA: Monday 28 September, 8pm, SA AIP

AIP-SA Branch Public Lecture

TITLE: Through Einstein’s eyes

SPEAKER: Craig Savage

VENUE: TBA

More info Kris Rowland rowland@adelaide.edu.au or Scott Foster Scott.Foster@dsto.defence.gov.au

Tasmania

TAS: Monday 7 September, 8pm, Tas AIP

Free public lecture

TITLE: Contributions of astronomy to all of science

SPEAKER: Penny Sackett, Australian Government Chief Scientist

VENUE: Physics Lecture Theatre 1, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay

More info on the University of Tas AIP website.

TAS: Thursday 17 September, 8pm, Tas AIP

Free IYA public lecture

TITLE: The Astronomy of Aboriginal Australians

SPEAKER: Ray Norris ATNF, CSIRO

VENUE: Physics Lecture Theatre 1, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay

More info on the University of Tas AIP website.

Victoria

VIC: Thursday 17 September, 6.30pm, Vic AIP

IYA lecture

TITLE: Particle astronomy – the second window
SPEAKER: Marc Duldig, Australian Antarctic Division
VENUE: Hercus Theatre, School of Physics, The University of Melbourne

The 2009 Laby Medal for the best physics honours thesis will also be presented at this meeting.

More info Scott Wade on (03) 9905 9642 or scott.wade@eng.monash.edu.au.

Western Australia

WA: International Year of Astronomy public lecture series

The Astronomical Society of Australia has chosen speakers to communicate the excitement of astronomy to the general public in Perth, as part of the International Year of Astronomy. The public lectures are at 6pm, at venues shown below.

For more info go to the Institute of Advanced Studies, UWA, website or call (08) 6488 1340 or email iasuwa@admin.uwa.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title	Venue
9 September	Ray Norris, Australia Telescope National Facility	The astronomy of Aboriginal Australians	Scitech, City West, Sutherland Street, West Perth
29 September	Geraint Lewis, University of Sydney	A universe made for me? The anthropic principle in astronomy	Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWA
14 October	Marc Duldig, Australian Antarctic Division	Particle astronomy – the second window	Bankwest Theatre, Building 200, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley
4 November	Paulo de Souza, Tasmanian ICT Centre, CSIRO	From Mars to Earth: a journey fostered by science, technology and fascination	Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWA

The lecture series is hosted by the Astronomical Society of Australia, with the AIP, University of Western Australia, Scitech, Curtin University of Technology Institute of Theoretical Physics and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research

Editor for Australian Physics – expressions of interest invited

John Daicopoulos will be leaving the position of Editor of Australian Physics, the AIP journal, in 2010. Accordingly we are seeking a new Editor to take up the position in early 2010 to allow for some overlap.

The Editor is expected to:

provide editing services for Australian Physics (6 issues per year)
in consultation with the editor-in-chief, seek material for publication
liaise with advertisers
prepare layout for the printer using appropriate software (knowledge of currently used ‘Indesign’ is desirable but not essential)
check printers proofs.

Remuneration for this part-time activity is by means of an honorarium, the amount of which is subject to negotiation. Expressions of interest, including a CV should be sent to:

Editor-in-Chief, Marc Duldig, at Marc.Duldig@aad.gov.au by 30 September 2009.

Call for expressions of interest for a minutes secretary for AIP executive meetings.

In order to streamline the operations of the executive, we are seeking expressions of interest from members for the position of minutes secretary. There are 4-5 one-day executive meetings per year, several teleconference meetings and one 2-day Council meeting. Like all positions on the executive, it is an honorary position: there is no remuneration but costs are covered. Please contact me if you are interested (B.James@physics.usyd.edu.au).

News from FASTS

Marc Duldig substituted for me at the FASTS Board meeting in Brisbane on 25 August. Topics discussed included preparation of reports on What makes science valid?; How to organise a conference; Impediments to collaboration; The science workforce – the changing nature of science based work; Women in science, and Preparedness (in order to handle uncertainty). Reports will soon be available on the FASTS web site: www.fasts.org .

The executive director of FASTS, Bradley Smith, has resigned and the new director will be Anna-Maria Arabia, currently infrastructure advisor to Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

Australian Academy of Science Nanotechnology Survey

The Australian Academy of Science is undertaking a research project for the ARC led by Chennupati Jagadish, Frank Caruso and Gordon Wallace. The Academy is examining Australia’s Nanotechnology trends, applications and collaborations. The online survey can be found on http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=13c64163-2e2a-466f-8c13-37495596052c

The collated data of the Academy’s research will be published and available late 2009. Fiona Leves from the Australian Academy of Science is the contact.

New Zealand joins Australia in the bid for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project

Australia and New Zealand joined forces in the bid for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project when Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research and the New Zealand Minister for Economic Development, Gerry Brownlee, signed a formal agreement on Friday 21 August.

The SKA, a large-scale, new-generation radio telescope, will comprise up to 4000 antennas combining to form a single deep space listening device which can see back to the formation of the first stars. Extending the SKA to include sites in New Zealand will add to the scientific outcomes of the project.

The Australian and New Zealand bid is one of two shortlisted sites. The other is in South Africa, and a decision on the host site is expected around 2012.

Success for the Australian Physics Olympiad Team

The 40th Physics Olympiad was held in Mexico on July 2009. The Australian team consisted of Cathryn McDonald (Emmanuel College, SA), Fiona Naughton (North Sydney Girls High School, NSW), Thomas Lacy (Sydney Grammar, NSW), Robert Holt (Christ Church Grammar, WA) and Christopher Herron (Gosford High School, NSW). Congratulations to the team, and in particular to Thomas (silver medal), Cathryn and Fiona (bronze medals), and Christopher (honorary mention).

Physics jobs on the net

Don’t forget that you can post job vacancies for free on the AIP pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. The latter is accessible to AIP members only.

Also, IOP Publishing has launched www.brightrecruits.com, a new jobs website dedicated to physics graduates and industry professionals with a background in physics. The site helps candidates get in touch with recruiters who value high intelligence, numeracy and analytical skills.

Once registered on Brightrecruits, candidates can upload their CV and search for jobs by sector, salary, location, job type and keyword; read profiles of the top employers; and get the latest job alerts via email. It includes both UK and international jobs.

Tamara Davis awarded L’Oréal For Women in Science Fellowship for work on dark energy

Congratulations to physicist Tamara Davis, University of Queensland and University of Copenhagen, who was one of three early-career scientists awarded a L’Oréal For Women in Science Fellowship in Melbourne on Tuesday 25 September.

Tamara is trying to find dark energy, part of the 96 per cent of the Universe that we can’t see in the night sky. She will use the new Australian Skymapper telescope to find hundreds of supernovae and use these to detect the influence of dark energy on gravity.

More info at the Science in Public L’Oréal For Women in Science website.

The Eureka Prizes

The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes were announced in Sydney on 18 August, and a number of physicists and physics-related projects were honoured.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation Prize for Outstanding Science in Support of Defence or National Security was awarded to the CSIRO Minerals Division, Air Cargo Scanner Team, Brian Sowerby, James Tickner, Yi Liu and Nick Cutmore, for a new scanner to improve airport security.

Scitech, Western Australia’s interactive science and technology centre in Perth, was awarded the 2009 Australian Government Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science for their innovative science outreach programs which they have taken to Aboriginal children in the outback.

Bachelor of Science student at RMIT, Philip Taylor, has shared first place in the New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography for his photograph of a popping balloon. Not only is the photo beautiful, but the data captured can be used to analyse fluid and gas flow. See it here.

Two Melbourne Grammar Year 10 boys, Tom Rogerson and Charles Vaughan, won first place in the Macquarie University Action Against Climate Change Eureka Schools Prize for their web-based video which explained the science behind solar panels and analysed the environmental and financial implications of installing panels at their school. See their video here.

Two self-proclaimed ‘dudes’, Jordan (Year 12) and Rohan (Year 10) Flemming of Central Coast Grammar School, have won first prize in the University of Sydney Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize for secondary school students for their hip hop style lecture on sound waves and how we hear sound. You can find it here.

Also, one of last year’s L’Oréal For Women in Science Fellows, AIP member Amanda Barnard, from CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, was a finalist in the 2009 Eureka prizes People’s Choice awards for her research on separating diamond nanoparticles with electricity, a solution she found using virtual experiments on a supercomputer.

The 60 Second Science Challenge – Australian Science Video Competition

Students in all Australian schools are invited to conduct an experiment or test a scientific theory, film it, edit it down to 60 seconds and submit it into the 2009 Science Video Competition.

There’s $8,000 in prizes. Register by 30 September and upload your video by 30 October.

More information at the 60 Second Science website.

International Year of Astronomy

I have listed a number of public lectures (above) that come under the IYA banner, but there is a lot more happening. Don’t forget to check out the IYA website for activities in your state.

Highlights of upcoming activities include:

The David Malin Awards – an annual exhibition of works by amateur astrophotographers. Touring locations here.
From Earth to the Universe – an international exhibition created for IYA, opening at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum on 12 September.
Celestia Photographica at the Western Australian Museum in Geraldton, until 29 September.
Light Years: Photographs And Space at the National Gallery of Victoria International in Melbourne.
Astronomy in a nutshell exhibition Monash Science Centre, Clayton, Victoria.
Online, do have a look at the Ilgarijiri project (http://ilgarijiri.wordpress.com/), a collaboration of the Yamaji Arts indigenous arts cooperative in Geraldton, WA, and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research in Perth.
Bertolt Brecht’s play, The Life of Galileo, is running at the Zenith Theatre in Chatswood, Sydney, to 12 September. Bookings: 02-9975-6780 or epicentretheatre.org.au
Coming up is Transit Theatre’s production of Copernicus, a new work about the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus that incorporates mime and animation. This will run 16 September to 4 October at the Melbourne Planetarium as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

And looking ahead to October …

Internationally for IYA, 23 and 24 October have been designated as the “Galilean Nights” – an occasion, like the 100 Hours of Astronomy in April, for everyone to get out to see the stars and planets.

And on 26 October, the University of NSW is going to run Galileo’s trial all over again. Perhaps this time the result will be different! This is a one-night-only performance, so grab a ticket if you can.

Science prizes

Please consider if you know people who would be appropriate candidates for the following science prizes.

2009 Walter Boas Medal (AIP)

The Walter Boas Medal was established to promote excellence in research in physics and to perpetuate the name of Walter Boas (University of Melbourne 1938-47, CSIRO 1947-69). The award is for physics research carried out in the five years prior to the date of the award, as demonstrated by both published papers and unpublished papers prepared for publication.

Nominations should reach Olivia Samardzic, Honorary Secretary, at aip_secretary@aip.org.au or by mail at 205 Labs, EWRD, DSTO, P.O. Box 1500, Edinburgh, SA 5111 by 1 September 2009.

For further information see the AIP website: Walter Boas Medal or contact Olivia Samardzic as above or phone 0410 575 855.

2009 Award for Outstanding Service to Physics in Australia (AIP)

The AIP Award for Outstanding Service to Physics recognises an exceptional contribution on the part of an individual who gives great amounts of time and effort to the furtherance of physics as a discipline.

Nominations should reach Olivia Samardzic, Honorary Secretary, at aip_secretary@aip.org.au or by mail at 205 Labs, EWRD, DSTO, P.O. Box 1500, Edinburgh, SA 5111 by 1 September 2009.

For further information see the AIP website: Outstanding Service or contact Olivia Samardzic as above or phone 0410 575 855.

AIP Women in Physics Lecturer

The AIP Women in Physics Lecturer, a woman who has made a significant contribution to physics will give a series of lectures to a non-specialist audience to interest students in studying physics.

Nominations are now open for Australian and international nominees, and close on 15 October 2009. For criteria and a nomination form, please visit http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/wip/Main/Wiplecturer.

1. AIP Victorian Branch Education activities

Vic AIP Education Committee

The Victorian AIP Education Committee usually meets on the second Tuesday of the month. All teachers are welcome to attend.

VENUE: Camberwell High School

If you would like to attend, contact the Chair, Sue Grant, at susanmgrant@optushome.com.au

Excursions to the Australian Synchrotron for Unit 4 VCE Physics classes

The Australian Synchrotron is offering school excursions daily from Tuesday, 1^st September until Friday, 2^nd October. The excursion is only available for Unit 4 VCE Physics students. The 2½ hour excursion includes a tour of the Synchrotron and an opportunity to do a range of practical activities for the Detailed Study “The Synchrotron and its applications” and the Area of Study “Interactions of light and matter”. These include:

Bragg diffraction with microwaves
laser diffraction from a CD and a DVD
photoelectric effect
spectroscopy and energy level analysis.

Each day there will be morning and afternoon sessions starting at 9:00am and 1:00pm respectively. The current state of the available sessions is on the AIP website at www.vicphysics.org/synchrotron.html .

A booking can be made with Melodie Aitken, Tours coordinator, on melodie.aitken@synchrotron.org.au by email with “Excursion booking” in the subject. Please include the following:

School’s Name
Teacher’s Name
School’s phone number
Teacher’s mobile phone number (if available)
Number of students
Date
Session Time

Melbourne University Physics Day: A Focus on The VCE Physics Study-Design – “FAQs”

Friday November 13, 2009 from 9:00 am to 3.30 pm, Laby Theatre, School of Physics
Cost: $99 (incl. GST) – Lunch, writing materials and notes provided
During this year VCAA has issued a series of FAQs and answers designed to clarify the Study Designs for Einstein’s Relativity and The Synchrotron. Specialists will examine some of these in detail. All the speakers have been selected to provide professional guidance and insight relevant to the VCE study design. You will also have the opportunity to inspect areas of physics research in this School, with the expectation that you might encourage some of your students to see physics as an exciting profession.

For more details and the registration form go to at www.vicphysics.org/forthcomingevents.html

Medical Physics In-Service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Saturday 5 December

The program will feature a one hour talk on:

the physics aspects of the effect of radiation on the human body and of the medical technology at Peter Mac
how the technology is used in diagnosis and treatment
information on the training and career paths associated with medical physics.

The second hour will be an extensive tour of the facilities at Peter Mac.

Teachers can register by sending their name, school and phone/fax/email details to the Australian Institute of Physics (Victorian Branch) Education Committee at danok@bigpond.com or PO Box 304, Glen Waverley, VIC 3150

VCE Physics Days at Luna Park: Dates for 2010

The VCE Physics Days next year are Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3, and Thursday 4 March. Reservations can be made now with an indication of approximate numbers as well as a tentative date, which can be changed once 2010 timetables are known. To make a reservation contact Luna Park by phone on (03) 9525 5033. Our website, www.vicphysics.org/lunapark.html has details of the worksheets and arrangements for each of the days.

Entries open for 2009 AIP Physics Photo and Video Contest

Students in Victorian schools can submit a photo or video demonstrating physics concepts. Teachers may also submit a video in a separate category.

Entries close on the last day of Term 3 (photo contest) and 30 October (video contest).

For more information go to the events page at Vicphysics.

Call for presenters: 2010 Physics Teachers Conference, Victoria

Next year’s conference will be on Friday 5 February at Monash University. If you would like to either:

present a session,

·suggest a topic for a session, or
·nominate a presenter from a previous conference

please contact the Vic AIP Education Committee by email at danok@bigpond.com with “2010 Physics Teachers Conference” as the subject.

2. Physics activities across the country – general

Victoria

VIC: Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University, public lectures

The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular free public lectures on the Hawthorn campus (AR Building, Room 104) at 6.30pm. More info here or contact Carolyn Cliff at contact@astro.swin.edu.au or phone (03) 9214 5569. Bookings are essential, please contact Carolyn Cliff.

Date	Speaker	Title	Room
18 September	Brian Schmidt, Australian National University	The life history of the Universe	BA201
21 October	Duncan Forbes, Swinburne University	The Universe as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope	AGSE207
18 November	Karl Glazebrook, Swinburne University	The origin of galaxies	AGSE207

Western Australia

WA: Gingin Observatory, Gingin

Gingin Observatory runs a variety of public events, many suitable for families, as well as regular stargazing tours. More info is available at the Observatory website or by contacting Carol Redford or Donna Vanzetti on (08) 9575 7740 or stars@ginginobservatory.com. Contact Carol or Donna to book into events.

Date	Time	Event
6 September	7-9.30pm	Father’s Day Stars. Take Dad to dinner followed by stargazing.
20 September		Star seeker bus tour: A BBQ dinner at Stargazers’ Cafe followed by stargazing. Gingin Observatory Astronomers will give a laser beam constellation tour and then fly you through the Milky Way Galaxy on the big screen! Complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are included after stargazing. Pick up points at various locations in Perth. – SOLD OUT
1 October	6-8.30pm	Tiwest Night Stalk 2009 and stargazing

3. Physics activities across the country – seminars

Check the institution websites for any late changes

New South Wales

NSW: School of Physics, University of NSW

The School of Physics holds regular colloquia on Tuesdays from 4-5pm in the School of Physics Common Room, Room 64, Old Main Building, University of NSW. More info here or contact Peter Reece on p.reece@unsw.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
8 September	Julian Berengut, University of New South Wales	Observing variations in coupling constants and fundamental mass ratios
22 September	John McLennan, University of New South Wales	The Violin: some physics and some non-physics
6 October	Michael Tober, University of Western Australia	Precision oscillator, clocks and interferometers with applications to space, industry and fundamental physics
27 October	H. Hoe Tan, Australian National University	Growth of III-V nanowires and quantum dots for optoelectronic applications
10 November	Michael Murphy, Swinburne University of Technology	Precision spectroscopy in astrophysics

NSW: School of Physics, University of Sydney

The School of Physics hold regular colloquia on Mondays at 3.15pm (refreshments from 3pm) in the Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics A28, University of Sydney. More info here or contact Bruce Yabsley (02) 9351 5970 or colloquium_chair@physics.usyd.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
7 September	Kara Peters, North Carolina State University	TBA
14 September	Daniel R. Grischkowsky, Oklahoma State University	Terahertz photonics: unique characteristics, accomplishments and future potential
28 September	Maitreyee Roy, National Measurement Institute	Seeing under the surface: 3D optical imaging via interferometry
12 October	Tony Gherghetta, University of Melbourne	Understanding the origin of mass at the Large Hadron Collider
19 October	Reza Hashemi-Nezhad, University of Sydney	TBA

NSW: Australia Telescope National Facility

The Australian Telescope National Facility holds regular colloquia on Wednesdays at 3.30pm (coffee at 3.15pm) in the ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre. More info here or contact Patrick Weltevrede Patrick.Weltevrede@atnf.csiro.au .

Date	Speaker	Title
2 September	Shane O’Sullivan, University of Cork	Magnetic field properties of AGN jets from multi-frequency VLBA polarimetry
9 September	Kurt Liffman	TBA
30 September	Dhruba Saikia, NCRA, India	TBA

Victoria

VIC: Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University

The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular colloquia, usually on Thursdays at 11.30am, in the Swinburne Virtual Reality Theatre (AR Building, Room 104). More info here or George Hau on colloquium@astro.swin.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
3 September	Duncan Forbes, Swinburne University	Revealing elliptical galaxy halos
4 September (note: Friday)	Adrian Malec, Swinburne University	18 months PhD review
10 September	Angel Lopez-Sanchez, Australian Telescope National Facility	A multiwavelength analysis of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies
18 September (note: Friday)	Geoffrey Bower, UC Berkeley, USA	TBA
24 September	Helmut Jerjen, Australian National University	Revealing the invisibles: the Stromlo missing satellites survey
1 October	Daniel Bayliss, Australian National University	Searching for southern transiting planets
8 October	Adam Deller, NRAO	TBA
15 October	Dhruba Saikia, NCRA, India	TBA

Queensland

QLD: Physics Department, University of Queensland

The Physics Department holds regular colloquia on Fridays at 4pm (refreshments from 3.30pm) in the Parnell Building Room 222, University of Queensland. More info here or coll_sched@physics.uq.edu.au.

Date	Speaker	Title
4 September	Ben Powell, University of Queensland	Universal ratios in strongly correlated materials
11 September	Cornelia Denz, Institut für Angewandte Physik and Center for Nonlinear Sciences, Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany	Nonlinear dynamic phase contrast microscopy for microfluidic and molecular biology applications
18 September	TBA
25 September	TBA
2 October	Matthew Davis, University of Queensland	TBA
9 October	Ben Upcroft, University of Queensland	TBA

Western Australia

WA: School of Physics, University of Western Australia

The School of Physics holds regular seminars on Tuesdays from 3.30-4.30pm in the Physics Lecture Room 2.15, Physics Building, University of WA. More info here or (08) 6488 2738.

Physics conferences

11^th International Symposium on Radiation Physics (ISRP-11)

University of Melbourne, Vic

20/09/2009 – 25/09/2009

The workshop below is held in conjunction with this symposium.

Workshop on advances in analytical techniques in geology, conservation science, forensic science, border technology, biomedical & other applications

University of Melbourne, Vic

26/09/2009 – 27/09/2009

This workshop is held in conjunction with the symposium above.

10^th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation (SRI09)

Melbourne Convention Centre, Vic

27/09/2009 – 02/10/2009

International Conference on Physics Education (ICPE) 2009

Bangkok, Thailand

18/10/2009 – 24/10/2009

NEW Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the future (Q2Cfestival.com)

Waterloo, Canada and online

15/10/2009 – 25/10/2009

All events will be streamed online live and on demand 24 hours a day. Sign up to interact online with speakers and exhibits.

Shanghai International Congress and Exhibition on Renewable Energy 2009

Shanghai, China

22/10/2009 – 24/10/2009

EPSM-ABEC 2009 Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Conference

Canberra, ACT

08/11/09 – 12/11/09

Tenth International Symposium – Frontiers of Fundamental & Computational Physics (FFP10)

Perth, WA

24/11/2009 – 26/11/2009

International Science Education Conference 2009: Science Education – Shared Issues, Common Future

National Institute of Education, Singapore

24/11/2009 – 26/11/2009

Australasian Conference on Optics, Lasers and Spectroscopy and Australian Conference on Optical Fibre Technology in association with the International Workshop on Dissipative Solitons (ACOLS ACOFT DS 2009)

The University of Adelaide, SA

29/11/2009 – 03/12/2009

Early bird registration closes 12 October 2009

AINSE/ANBUG Neutron Scattering Symposium, AANSS 2009

Lucas Heights, Sydney, NSW

07/12/2009 – 09/12/2009

Inaugural Sydney International Workshop on Synergies in Astronomy and Medicine (AstroMed09)

Sydney, NSW

14/12/09 – 16/12/09

Abstracts are due by 2 October 2009; early bird registration closes 18 September 2009

Sixth International Symposium on the Basic and Application of Plasma Technology

Hsinchu, Taiwan

14/12/09 – 16/12/09

Conference on Computational Physics 2009, Taiwan

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

15/12/2009 – 19/12/2009

5th Australasian Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation

University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

16/12/2009 – 18/12/2009

NEW 2010 International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICONN 2010)

Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour

22/02/2010 – 26/02/2009

Abstract submission deadline is 18 September 2009

2010 AIP Congress

Melbourne, Vic

06/12/2010 – 10/12/2010

Submission deadlines for the bulletin and journal

Our next bulletin will be for October 2009. We welcome contributions about activities, conferences and announcements. Our next submission deadline is Wednesday 23 September. Please send your submissions to Margie Beilharz from Science in Public on margie@scienceinpublic.com.au or call (03) 9398 1416.

And the AIP’s journal, Australian Physics, welcomes your articles. The deadline for the November/December issue is 12 October. Email John Daicopoulos on ap-editor@renegadescience.tv.

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For more information on physics events visit http://www.aip.org.au and click on ‘physics events’ or on your state branch.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive these updates, please feel free to forward this to them.

Kind regards,

Brian

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Assoc. Prof. Brian James

President of the Australian Institute of Physics

Phone: +61 (2) 9351-2471

Email: aip_president@aip.org.au