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News

Applications Now Open for the 2021-22 Australian Science Policy Fellowship program

The program gives early- and mid-career scientists the opportunity to work in a Commonwealth Government department for 12 months.

Applications will be open from April 7 to April 26

They are also hosting a public information webinar on Tuesday 13 April from 5:30-6:30pm AEDT. Please click here to register.

For more information: https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/australian-science-policy-fellowship-program

Please contact Jessica Wright via OCS-projects@chiefscientist.gov.au if you would like to discuss.

News

2021 Membership renewals are now due

Renew now to get $10 off your membership fees for the 2021 calendar year.

Logging into your membership profile allows you to pay your 2021 membership fees online, generate your invoice and update your membership details.

  1. Login to your membership profile, here.
  2. Click RENEW TO 1 JAN 2022.
  3. Follow the prompts to pay. To pay with credit/debit card click PAY ONLINE. To pay by direct deposit or cheque click INVOICE ME. You may also renew over the phone.

If you have forgotten your password, please click ‘Forgot password’ on the login page. Type in your email, decrypt a security code, then press Submit. This sends an email to your email account on record. Follow the steps in the email to generate a new password.

Note that the $10 off, has already been included in your membership fees. See the Membership tab for 2021 AIP membership fee details.

We look forward to seeing you later this year, be it in-person or virtually!

If you have any questions, or require assistance please email our Operations Manager on aip@aip.org.au, or phone +61478 260 533 for assistance.

Best Regards,

AIP Federal Executive Team

News

2021 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Now Open

Renew now to get $10 off your membership fees for the 2021 calendar year

Logging into your membership profile allows you to pay your 2021 membership fees online, generate your invoice and update your membership details.

  1. Login to your membership profile, here.
  2. Click RENEW TO 1 JAN 2022.
  3. Follow the prompts to pay. To pay with credit/debit card click PAY ONLINE. To pay by direct deposit or cheque click INVOICE ME. You may also renew over the phone.

If you have forgotten your password, please click ‘Forgot password’ on the login page. Type in your email, decrypt a security code, then press Submit. This sends an email to your email account on record. Follow the steps in the email to generate a new password.

Note that this year we are not using discount codes for the $10 off. We have already taken the $10 off of your membership fee. See the Membership tab for 2021 AIP membership fee details.

We look forward to seeing you in 2021, be it in-person or virtually!

If you have any questions, or require assistance please email our Operations Manager on aip@aip.org.au, or phone +61478 260 533 for assistance.

Best Regards,

AIP President Jodie Bradby and the AIP 2020 Federal Executive Team

Public Lecture, TAS

PUBLIC LECTURE – 12 AUGUST 2020

Wednesday, 12 August 2020, 8:00 PM
https://utas.zoom.us/j/97801842637

A Space like no other : the past, present and future of Tasmania’s involvement in space

Professor Simon Ellingsen from University of Tasmania

As small island sitting on the edge of the Pacific and Southern oceans Tasmania has a view of the sky accessible to few others. Tasmania has a long association with the exploration of space and so when the Australian Space Agency was created in mid-2018, with the goal of tripling Australia’s slice of the rapidly growing international space industry, it was natural that our location and expertise be utilised as part of this bold endeavour.

In this talk I will give a brief history covering some of the past highlights of Tasmania’s involvement in space-related ventures, through to our most recent project to construct a dedicated satellite tracking station at the University of Tasmania’s Greenhill observatory. This facility has been funded by the Australian Space Agency and will support Australian innovation in both research and commercial space activities. The new tracking station will commence operation in 2021 and will provide a unique opportunity for Tasmanian researchers and businesses to leverage the benefits that access to space can provide.

Further details: Krzysztof Bolejko (krzysztof.bolejko@utas.edu.au)

Bulletin

Black Lives Matter, gravity wave detector, Hidden Physicist in review, physics in the news, and more physics fun in July

This month’s photo is the AIP National Executive team on a recent Zoom meeting. I’m sure many of you have had hours and hours of such meetings over the past few months and for those who are doing online teaching or learning I sincerely hope you get a wonderful mid-year break and stay well.

This month we welcomed the news that Murdoch University has dropped its legal action against AIP member Dr Gerd Schroder-Turk. The AIP strongly defends the rights of staff and students to respectfully question their organisations in the pursuit of excellence, equality, and freedom of speech.

Read the latest on the case below.

We also added our voice to the statement released by Science and Technology Australia supporting the #BlackLivesMatter and #AboriginalLivesMatter movements. Read the full statement below.

On June 19 the government’s proposed education package was announced which will see students paying much more for various humanities degrees but also a total funding reduction for science of about $4,758 per student. I spoke to a Times Higher Education reporter about my disappointment at this announcement. You can find the story later in this bulletin.

In this bulletin we look back on a full year of our Hidden Physicists, #PhysicsGotMeHere series. I am always in awe of all the amazing things people do with a physics degree.

The proposed Australian high-frequency gravitational wave detector is the subject of the next AIP-FLEET seminar. Read on for details.

Nominations are open for the AIP Executive roles, including President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Registrar. See below.

Huge congratulations to CSIRO Chief Scientist and past AIP president Dr Cathy Foley AO, and 2011 Women in Physics lecturer Professor Tamara Davis AM, who were both recognised in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List. See below for details.

From X-ray-spewing pulsars to a citizen science project measuring light pollution, there have been some brilliant stories of Australian physics in the news recently. Take a look at our top picks below.

And, of course, you’ll find listings for exciting physics jobs and other upcoming events.

Kind regards,
Jodie Bradby
President, Australian Institute of Physics
aip_president@aip.org.au

Continue reading Black Lives Matter, gravity wave detector, Hidden Physicist in review, physics in the news, and more physics fun in July →
Bulletin

Australia’s Quantum Future, Physicists Honoured, Hidden Physicist, Physics in the News, and more physics fun in June

As COVID-19 continues to shape our lives it is heartening to see the Australian scientific community rising to the challenge.

AIP is a member of Science and Technology Australia, which is part of the Rapid Research Information Forum collaboration led by Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel. I encourage you to read through the rapid response reports provided to government. You can find them here.

And with COVID in mind we have extended the time to nominate a colleague or student for an AIP medal or award. See below.

We’ve published a list of our AIP Fellows. You can apply to become a Fellow of the AIP by completing the online application form.

Read on, too, to meet our Hidden Physicist for the month. Matthew Wiggins is a health physicist providing radiation science solutions to the Queensland Government, as well as to public and private sector clients.

I congratulate all the new Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science who were recently announced. I was delighted to see physics was well represented. Congratulations to three AIP members – Cathy Foley, Ping Koy Lam, Tim Bedding – who were elected this round. See below for details.

I also congratulate Professor Warwick Bowen on being the recipient of the 2020 Barry Inglis Medal from the National Measurement Institute, and ANU student Marika Niihori who will be heading to the UK with a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Read about them further on.

Recently Cathy Foley launched the National Quantum Roadmap, which started from a meeting at an AIP congress back in 2016. We’re holding an online forum, discussing the future of quantum technology in Australia, on June 4. In July, there is another, on the future of the gravitational wave detector. Read on for details.

From missing matter to a cosmic ring of fire, there have been some excellent stories of Australian physics in the news recently. You can find a good selection below.

And of course, you’ll find listings for exciting physics jobs.


Kind regards,
Jodie Bradby
President, Australian Institute of Physics
aip_president@aip.org.au

Continue reading Australia’s Quantum Future, Physicists Honoured, Hidden Physicist, Physics in the News, and more physics fun in June →
Bulletin

First in new series of ARC Centre talks, Extension of closing date for AIP Prize nominations, Solar Cell Windows, and more physics in May

I hope you’re coping well with the current challenges and not getting magnets stuck up your nose (sorry Dr Daniel Reardon – keep on innovating!).  

It’s great to see the AIP community remaining hard at work, educating, and creating physics events.

A number of our events are already moving online, including the former Physics in the Pub, which is now Physics in the Cloud. Members are also invited to attend virtual talks put on by FLEET, the first one by our own Dr Kirrily Rule. More details below.

Yet more events are being rescheduled. I am happy to announce that the next AIP Congress will now be held from December 5 to 10, 2021, in Adelaide.

This bulletin includes the AIP’s statement on physics education post-COVID which aims to emphasise the importance of face-to-face teaching and learning once we all get ‘back to normal’. And we meet our Hidden Physicist for the month: Sarah Lugay, who is a cyber security expert for EY.

The nominations for the NSW Community Outreach to Physics Award have opened. See below for details.

In physics news, we are excited that windows will soon generate electricity, following a solar cell breakthrough by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science. Read about it further on.

Plus the Australian Academy of Science and Australia’s other learned academies have launched a COVID-19 Expert Database. See below for details on how you can contribute.

Keep on washing those hands and stay connected.

Kind regards,

Jodie Bradby
President, Australian Institute of Physics
aip_president@aip.org.au

Continue reading First in new series of ARC Centre talks, Extension of closing date for AIP Prize nominations, Solar Cell Windows, and more physics in May →
Uncategorized

Position statement on online teaching delivery during and after COVID-19

The revised and final position statement “Temporary replacement of face-to-face classes by online delivery in physics courses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic” is now available in full

This document can be found below.

2020_05_01_PositionStatementRePhysicsTeachingInclExecSummary-FINAL-2

Contact person: Dr Gerd Schröder-Turk, Special Project Officer, Australian Institute of Physics, (feedback@aip.org.au) and Deborah Kane.