Abstract: Tiny magnets that are one thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair are starting to be used in technologies all around us, including cancer treatments, medical imaging and even self-repairing paints. Magnets that are shrunk down to the nanoscale behave very differently to the large ones that you have on your fridge, allowing a whole new set of materials to be designed to answer important technological problems. Come along to hear how a theoretical physicist studies nano-magnets and what exciting problems are currently being solved.

Bio: Did you know that tiny magnets, 1000 times thinner than a human hair, are used in cancer treatments, computers and even in self-repairing paints? Theoretical physicist Dr Karen Livesey is designing new nano-sized magnets to address global technological challenges, such as reducing the energy that today’s computers use, and heating inoperable tumours to improve health outcomes.

Dr Karen Livesey was the first in her family to finish high school and went on to study Physics at the University of Western Australia, completing a PhD in 2010. For almost 10 years, she worked at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs reaching the rank of Associate Professor.

While the covid-19 pandemic was raging, she moved to Newcastle NSW with her family in 2020. She is currently a Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Newcastle, and an Associate Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low Energy Electronic Technologies.

Karen loves to share her passion for physics and mathematics through university teaching, pub talks, media interviews, and public lectures.

She has received research and teaching awards in the United States, Canada, UK and Australia. In 2023-24, she is a Superstar of STEM awarded by Science and Technology Australia.

The Claire Corani Memorial Prize will be presented at the lecture, for high achievement at second year level physics in 2022 at a South Australian University.