Inspiring Illumination, Creative Curiosity: Dr Ceri Brenner

Join Australian Institute of Physics 2018 Women in Physics speaker Dr Ceri Brenner as she reveals the beauty behind her work with the most powerful lasers in the world, how she is inspired by the world-changing applications that she and her team work on and the extreme technology she works with.

Dr Brenner will visit Ballarat as part of a national tour; her visit to Ballarat during National Science Week is coordinated by VicPhysics and the School of Science, Engineering and Information Technology at Federation University.

Please book online for this free event.

Dr Ceri Brenner is a plasma physicist studying how the most powerful lasers in the world can generate micro-sized, super-charged particle accelerators that emit highly penetrating, high quality beams of X-rays, neutrons and ions. She’s using this extreme interaction between light and matter to design innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection.

In her talks she introduces high power lasers and the plasma (4th) state of matter and then guides the audience through to the application of the physics as a next generation technology. She introduces her topic in terms of physics concepts that everyone learns at school making it accessible to all. As an experimentalist, there is a strong emphasis on teamwork in her lectures. For student-age audiences she often also includes her career journey as part of the talk and communicates the personal benefits (global travel, intellectual stimulation, feeling of contributing to society) of a career in physics to inspire younger generations. Engagement is important to her therefore animation, demonstration and illustration are key features as well as having Q&A and/or panel sessions.

Dr Ceri Brenner is a physicist using 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. In 2017 she was awarded the UK Institute of Physics’ Clifford-Paterson Medal and Prize for her significant early career contributions to the application of physics in an industrial context.

A graduate of Oxford University and PhD from University of Strathclyde, Ceri has established a unique position working in the UK’s Central Laser Facility, in which her passion for application-focused research works alongside pursuing fundamental understanding of extreme condition physics.

She is a highly experienced and popular science communicator and is a strong advocate of physics engagement to reach new audiences within the public, academia and industry. She especially enjoys inspiring the next generation into this exciting profession. Ceri is also an active member of the physics community with leading committee roles within the Institute of Physics and British Science Association.