Dear {Contact_First_Name},
These are troubling issues for the future of Australian physics.
- The number of students studying physics in year 12 continues to decline.
- The University of Newcastle is considering removal of physics as a stand-alone discipline.
- And UTS have temporarily suspended enrolments into the Physics major in the Bachelor of Science.
We have expressed our concerns in open letters to UoN and UTS. This is in contrast to the Academy of Science report “Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035” which paints a positive picture for Physics with increases in graduations, R&D funding and strong career prospects. Meeting this demand will require more students coming through the system!
The Federal Government will begin explanatory discussions on joining Horizon Europe, the EU’s main research funding program. This is a crucial step to boost international collaboration and secure funding, says Science & Technology Australia and the Australian Academy of Sciences. The physics of pasta sauce: a group of researchers from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Austria took home the 2025 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for discoveries about the physics of pasta sauce, “especially the phase transition that can lead to clumping, which can be a cause of unpleasantness”. You can read their paper on the perfect cacio e pepe here. Stu Midgley
President, Australian Institute of Physics
president@aip.org.au |
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Long-term decline in high school physics participation
The 2025 Year 12 Physics Participation Report Card reveals a
record low number of students studying physics in high school and no progress
made in closing gender gaps.
These trends are also found in advanced-level maths, which
is of foundational importance to physical sciences.
Physics underpins occupations from engineering and advanced
computing to finance and healthcare.
The ongoing decline in Year 12 physics participation is
expected to exacerbate skills shortages in areas essential for Australia’s
economy.
Read the full report here.
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Postgraduate students honoured for outstanding theses
Congratulations to the following postgraduate students recognised by the NSW Branch for outstanding achievements in physics last month.
Dr Danielle Holmes (UNSW) received the Community Outreach to Physics Award.
Claudia Reyes (UNSW), David Sweeney (USyd), and Fang Zeng (USyd) received the Bragg Award for outstanding PhD theses. Marko Beocanin (UNSW), Anna Carpenter (UoN), and Rhys Mackintosh (USyd) received the Thomas H. Laby Award for outstanding Honours or Masters theses. Read more.
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Student travel awards for Summer Meeting
The AIP is offering a limited number of travel awards for
students presenting papers at the Summer Meeting in Wollongong in December. This opportunity is available for financial student members. Read more and apply by 31 October.
The Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
(AINSE) are also sponsoring flights for students to attend the meeting. Apply by
9 October.
The presentation types have now been allocated and the early
bird registration has been extended to 9 October to accommodate this.
Each university may
nominate one student to compete for the NSW Branch 2025 Annual
Postgraduate Awards held at the AIP Summer Meeting on 3 December. Students will
make a 20-minute presentation on their physics research. Two $500 prizes are
available. Nominate by 11
October.
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News and opportunities
The
WA Branch 2025 Student Conference is in Perth on 14 November. Abstract
submissions close 31 October. Register
here.Registrations for Wagga/AC2MP2026 open 20 October.
The AIP’s annual condensed matter physics conference “Wagga” will be joined by
Asia-Pacific conference in Wagga Wagga, NSW 9-13 February 2026. Register here.
Applications for the Enrico
Fermi Fellowships (EFF) are open. The Fellowships support exceptional
graduate students interested in working across theoretical and experimental
approaches. For up to €105,000 per year, apply by 19 October.
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Physics in the news
New entanglement breakthrough links cores of atoms, brings
quantum computers closer (The
Conversation)
Conflict on campus between staff and management as thousands
are sacked and courses cut (ABC
News)
Universities are not a market: How privatising Australian
unis undermined our collective knowledge base (Crikey)
A new twist on Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle can
sharpen quantum sensors (The
Conversation)
Fluid physics reveals how capsizing icebergs flip (Cosmos
magazine)
Who gets to do science? A demand for English is hurting
marginalised researchers (The
Conversation)
Unexplained lights in
the sky sparks UAP chatter across much of Western Australia (ABC
News)
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Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Experimental
Condensed Matter Physics,
UNSW Canberra
Combine research and teaching to make a meaningful impact in
experimental condensed matter physics. Contribute to curriculum design and
course delivery, build a vibrant research portfolio, and share your expertise
through high-quality publications, grant applications, and supervision of
students. You will also play an active role in the administration and collegial
life of the School.
Full-time continuing. $155,403 – $204,218 + 17% super.
Read more and apply by
2 October. |
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Research Associate/ Senior Research Associate (ARC
OzGrav),
The University of Adelaide
Develop new instrumentation and techniques that ensure
quantum enhancements of the world's most sensitive detectors realize their full
potential, with the Adelaide Node of the ARC Centre for Excellence for
Gravitational Wave Detection (OzGrav). Explore the development of current and
next-generation gravitational wave detectors (GWD), including the LIGO
detectors.
Full-time fixed-term for 3 years. $102,024 - $135,932 + 17%
super.
Read more and apply by
27 October. |
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Radio Astronomy Spectrum Manager, CSIRO
Bring your expertise in radio astronomy, radiocommunication
system design, or radio frequency interference (RFI) management to work.
Develop software and build on research that directly influences how telescopes
and satellites can coexist. Grow in this role to be the voice of science in the
global regulatory environment and help safeguard the future of space science
and global communications.
$114k - $123k pa + 15.4% super.
Read more and apply by
31 October. |
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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Our
mailing address is:
Australian Institute of Physics
PO Box 73, Parkville 3052, VIC Australia |
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Thank you for supporting the AIP.
If you have retired, or require financial assistance
please contact, aip@aip.org.au. |
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