FLEET AI Prof Sue Coppersmith (UNSW) kicked off her AIP Woman in Physics national tour this month in Victoria.
Sue introduced over 250 students, teachers and public to the life of a theoretical physicist at five events around Melbourne.
The busy three day schedule included:
- A public lecture at RMIT aimed at a physics-savvy public audience.
- Girls in Physics breakfast at William Angliss Institute over 100 students, hosted by the Vicphysics Teachers’ Network, with Sue’s talk From Grains of Sand to Quantum Computers live-streamed to more schools, with FLEET’s Amelia Dominguez (Monash) joining the crew of women sharing their own physics journey with students.
- Another talk at MacRobertson Girl’s High School to another 50 students
- FLEET/AIP seminar at Monash
- Talk and panel discussion at John Monash Science School – 100 students – with assistance from FLEET’s Amelia Dominguez (again) and Taylor Christie (Monash), and FLEET alums Abby Goff and Rebecca Orrell-Trigg.
Sue also managed to fit in an interview with David Astle on ABC Radio, talking about the physics of seashells and quantum electronics : listen here (interview starts at 2hrs 34min)
Professor Susan Coppersmith is a theoretical condensed matter physicist whose current research focuses on the development of semiconductor technology to create advanced quantum-coherent nanodevices, including the development of novel strategies to achieve artificially engineered topological materials in Research Theme 1.
Her work has yielded new understanding of complex materials that include glasses, biominerals, quantum magnets, nonlinear dynamics of nonequilibrium systems, and granular matter. She has been elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and she has been elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.
Sue is the 2024 Australian Institute of Physics Women in Physics Lecturer.