2008 SCHOOL OF PHYSICS Annual Report 4 www.physics.unimelb.edu.au contents/ the university of melbourne 6 the faculty of science 8 THE SCHOOL OF PHYSICS 9 HEAD’S REPORT 10 EXECUTIVE MANAGER’S REPORT 10 SCHOOL GOVERANCE 11 STAFF 12 VISITORS 18 RESEARCH FUNDING 20 RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES 23 SCHOOL-HOSTED CONFERENCES 28 POSTGRADUATES IN PROGRESS 30 THESES COMPLETIONS 34 GROUP REPORT & PUBLICATIONS - Astrophysics 35 - Experimental Particle Physics (EPP) 39 - Micro-Analytical Research Centre (MARC) 45 Quantum Communications Victoria (QCV) 50 - Optics 51 ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Science (CXS) 54 - Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics (TCMP) 56 - Theoretical Particle Physics (TPP) 60 postgraduate physics student society (PPSS) 63 priZes & awards 64 outreach programs 66 subJects offered 69 alumni & friends 70 media 72 recruiting organisations 74 more information 75 www.physics.unimelb.edu.au 5 The University of Melbourne The university OF the Melbourne Model undergraduate and graduate education have continued to be a central focus of Melbourne thought and investment at the University. Established in 1853, the University of Melbourne The final strand – knowledge transfer – has long is a public-spirited institution that makes distinctive been practised but not always acknowledged at contributions to society in research, teaching and the University. A commitment to projects based knowledge transfer. on engagement, exchange and partnership with Melbourne’s teaching excellence has been wider constituencies has become a familiar part rewarded two years in a row by grants from of University aspirations. Knowledge transfer is the Commonwealth Government’s Learning about direct, two-way interactions between the and Teaching Performance Fund for Australian University and its external communities, which universities that demonstrate excellence in involve the development, exchange and application undergraduate teaching and learning. of knowledge and expertise for mutual benefit. Melbourne was also one of only three Australian The metaphor of the triple helix is extended to universities to win ten citations -- the maximum the tight binding of the strands with enablers: our number of awards possible -- under the Carrick people, our repositories of scholarly information, Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student our policies, planning, infrastructure, fundraising, Learning. The citations recognise commitment resources, university administration and our by university staff who have shown outstanding communications and marketing. leadership and innovation in teaching, and dedication and enthusiasm for student learning. Melbourne Model The University of Melbourne has introduced The triple-helix landmark educational reforms known collectively The University of Melbourne seeks to be highly as the Melbourne Model. These reforms are regarded in research and research training, learning designed to create an outstanding and distinctive and teaching, and knowledge transfer. Melbourne Experience for all students. In moving to Together these three activities are envisaged as the new model, the University is responding to the a metaphoric triple-helix in which they are closely challenges of today’s changing environment as well bound, each reinforcing the other. Growing Esteem as aligning itself with the best of European and Asian takes into account current national and international practice and North American traditions. research priorities, aims to assist the University to The Melbourne Model is based on six broad address the pressures of space, size and coherence undergraduate programs followed by a professional in undergraduate education and ensures a much graduate degree, research higher degree or stronger link between public outreach and teaching entry directly into employment. The emphasis on and research. academic breadth as well as disciplinary depth in The first strand – research and research training the new degrees ensures that as a graduate you will – is core to the mission of the University, linking have the capacity to negotiate your way successfully Melbourne to the great centres of scholarship in a world where knowledge boundaries are shifting around the world. The research and research training and reforming to create new frontiers and challenges strand allows us both to achieve what we call our almost daily. research outcomes and output and also to train research higher degree students including PhD or Internationally recognised research Doctoral research and Masters by research. and academic staff The second strand – learning and teaching – refers to The University of Melbourne has a 150-year history our curriculum (or our courses) and to the epxerience of leadership in research, innovation, teaching of being a student (such as study groups, support and learning. Our researchers are at the forefront services and scholarships). Learning and teaching of international scholarship in fields as diverse as has been of great importance to the University human rights law, telecommunications and medical since its origin in 1854, and with the inception of research. 6 www.physics.unimelb.edu.au Among our many scholars of international standing The Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation are two winners of the Nobel Prize: Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) Professors Peter Doherty for Physiology and • The University improved its position in this Medicine; and Professor Sir James Mirrlees for ranking in 2008. Economic Science. • The Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation A Nobel prize was also awarded in 2007 to the Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) university Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). rankings is well regarded as having a rigorous Professor David Karoly (an internationally recognised methodology. It evaluates and ranks the climate change expert) was a member of this panel. performance of scientific papers published by scholars of the world’s top 500 universities. • No. 58 in the world (up from 64 in 2007). International Rankings • No. 5 in the Asia Pacific. Our strong performance in international rankings puts us at the forefront of higher education in the • Rankings in six disciplines were also released Asia-Pacific region and the world: in 2008, with Melbourne being the highest ranking Australian university in three fields Academic Ranking of World Universities, Shanghai (Clinical, Life and Social Sciences), and within Jiao Tong University, 2008: the top 100 in the world in five fields • The University of Melbourne has improved its position by six places, placing it among the top 100 research institutes worldwide for the sixth year in a row. Only three Australian universities were ranked in the top 100. • No. 6 for the Asia-Pacific region • No. 73 worldwide THE World University rankings 2008: • The University’s overall rank dropped in 2008, but this ranking is comprised of a number of different components, with methodology changing since 2005. • No. 9 in the world for the employability of its graduates. • International colleagues rank the University of Melbourne at No. 21 (Peer review ranking) • Only Australian university to rank in the Top 30 in all five of the Times Higher Education’s discipline rankings: Arts & Humanities | Life Sciences and Biomedicine | Natural Sciences | Social Sciences | Technology • Overall ranking No. 38 Regard for the University among employers still remains very strong. The University’s graduate employability ranking improved in 2008, moving to No. 9 in 2008 from No. 10 in 2007. Our peer ranking remains strong. www.physics.unimelb.edu.au 7 The faculty of science faculty OF Science About us One of the oldest science faculties in Australia, we celebrated our centenary in 2003. The Faculty provides a range of teaching and postgraduate training programs and community services, based on a solid foundation of research in the pure and applied sciences. It comprises four schools and five departments - Botany, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics, Genetics, Information Systems, Mathematics & Statistics, Optometry & Vision Sciences, and Zoology, and it has an active involvement in 13 competitively funded research centres. Over 6,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students are enrolled across its 10 undergraduate and 12 postgraduate courses and its Honours program. Faculty staff gain approximately $22 million a year in competitive research grants, through peer-assessed grants, the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and other national funding and industry agencies. Its international agenda includes joint research ventures, exchange of staff and students, recruitment of overseas students and the inclusion of a global perspective in curricula. Through the quality of its research and teaching, the Faculty enjoys a strong reputation, both nationally and internationally. History of the Faculty The Faculty of Science was established in 1903 at the University of Melbourne, under the first Dean, Professor Henry Laurie. Initially the disciplines taught within the Faculty included Chemistry, Physiology, Biology (including elementary Botany), Geology and Minerology, as well as subjects from the Schools of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (Physics). Over the years, Genetics, Information Systems, and Optometry have been added to this list. http://www.science.unimelb.edu.au/ 8 www.physics.unimelb.edu.au The school of physics The School OF Physics The School, one of nine main departments within the Faculty of Science, comprises approximately