Girls in Physics Breakfast

At the breakfast students from Years 10 to 12 will share a table with two or three young women who are either in the early stages of a career in physics or engineering, or are at university as an undergraduate or a postgraduate. The students have a chance to ask questions about their careers and what study at university is like. Students will be seated with students from other schools.

There is also an address by a prominent scientist, who will talk about her area of interest at a level appropriate for the audience. The speaker is Dr Ceri Brenner, the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) Women in Physics lecturer for 2018. Dr Brenner is speaking as part of her national tour. Her topic is ‘Pressing FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world’.

Dr Brenner is a physicist with UK Research and Innovisation.  She uses the most powerful lasers in the world to develop innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection. She has a unique role that spans research, innovation and business development and is driving the translation of laser-driven accelerator research into industrial applications that impact our society. Her website has information about her research and her outreach activities.

Abstract: When we press FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world, we deliver a packet of light that is a thousand billion billion times more intense than the sunlight you feel at the beach! That’s super intense! But what makes these lasers really super is that we’re using them to turn research into real applications that will improve our future. From igniting a miniature star on earth to keeping our power stations working for thousands of years with clean fuel, to designing micro accelerator beams for detecting and zapping away cancer or even taking a snapshot photo of a jet engine at full speed!

As an optional add on to the breakfast, at no extra cost, there is a 90 minute tour of the nearby Australian Synchrotron as well as activities on Careers in STEM. There is a limit of 6 students per school to maximise the number of schools that can participate.

This event is supported by ANSTO, Vicphysics Teachers’ Network, the Victorian Branch of the Australian Institute of Physics, FLEET (Future Low Energy Electronic Technologies) and the Federal Government’s Inspiring Australia – Inspiring Science program.