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FLEET News

Alumni profile: Quantum materials researcher Wafa Afzal

A note from previous FLEET PhD candidate Dr. Wafa Afzal, still researching novel materials, now at Archer Materials I was a PhD student at FLEET, based at the University of Wollongong under the supervision of Prof. Xiaolin Wang, studying the electrical and magnetic properties of topological Weyl semimetals. I’m still researching novel materials, now in the Quantum team at Archer …

Science Academy video: Prof Michael Fuhrer FAA

Here’s the problem: the more we use computers, the more energy that’s required. Driven by a deep intellectual curiosity, Prof Fuhrer (Monash University) was drawn to science at an early age and now has a passion for mentoring the next generation of scientists, teaching them how it pays to be patient. New video out from the Australian Academy of Science, …

‘Topological gardening’ to achieve unexpected spin transport

‘Trimming’ the edge-states of a topological insulator yields a new class of material featuring unconventional ‘two way’ edge transport in a new theoretical study from Monash University, Australia. The new material, a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) forms a promising addition to the family of topological materials and significantly broadens the scope of materials with topologically nontrivial properties. Its distinctive reliance …

Listening to nanoscale earthquakes

A recent UNSW-led paper published in Nature Communications presents an exciting new way to listen to avalanches of atoms in crystals. The nanoscale movement of atoms when materials deform leads to sound emission. This so-called crackling noise is a scale-invariant phenomenon found in various material systems as a response to external stimuli such as force or external fields. Jerky material …

Hareem Khan: FLEET alum

Currently applying materials skills learned at FLEET/RMIT to improve solar technologies, at CSIRO Greetings from CSIRO! I was a PhD student at FLEET / RMIT from 2017 to 2020, working on the development of piezoelectric and sensing applications of atomically thin materials. “The thing I enjoyed most about FLEET, other than the technical aspects of my work, was the sense …

FLEET2023 annual workshop in Lorne

Just under 120 members, family and affiliates gathered in Lorne Victoria this month for FLEET’s 2023 annual workshop, which featured 35 scientific talks (over 60% of them by ECRs), 30 accompanying family (17 kids), a cultural celebration dinner, karaoke, quiz, lawn bowls, and lots of unstructured time for collaborative discussions. Invited presentations included: Nicola Gaston, MacDiarmid Institute Mateusz Król, Warsaw …

New funding to spark collaboration between industry and FLEET students

An exciting partnership between FLEET and APR-intern will fund new route to gain valuable ‘on the floor’ industry experience for FLEET PhD/Masters students, increasing job skills and leveraging Australian scientific expertise in industry, with funding supporting the placement of research students with industry partners. In addition to injecting fresh scientific and problem-solving energy into participating industry workplaces, the program will …

Space has gotten small with metallic, planet-like nanodroplets

Homogenous liquid-metal nanodroplets achieved with high-temperature molten salt Australian researchers put planets in the palm of the hand Liquid metal, planet-like nanodroplets are successfully formed with a new technique developed at RMIT University, Australia. Like our own Planet Earth, the nanodroplets feature an outer ‘crust’, a liquid metal ‘mantle’, and a solid ‘core’. The solid intermetallic core is the key …

Tiny device mimics human vision and memory abilities

First published at RMIT Researchers have created a small device that ‘sees’ and creates memories in a similar way to humans, in a promising step towards one day having applications that can make rapid, complex decisions such as in self-driving cars. The neuromorphic invention is a single chip enabled by a sensing element, doped indium oxide, that is thousands of …

Expanded mentoring program

A new expanded mentoring network vastly increases the experience pool available for ECRs and others in 12 participating ARC Centres providing: structured mentoring with ongoing support and oversight access to a range of resources and peer-mentoring groups large, diverse pool of mentors and mentees for both researchers and professional staff. Allowing members of the participating Centres to access mentors in …

Getting wavy: New FLEET Schools Forces and Energy resource goes from Newton to Einstein

Learning about ‘wavy’ stuff you can’t see, smell, taste or touch can test students’ intuitive understanding of the world. FLEET’s latest Forces and Energy teacher resource examines energy from the physics of Newton to Einstein, to the wavy behaviour of sub-atomic particles such as electrons. Students learn how energy is crucial to our understanding of how everything in the universe …

FLEET Director elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science

Leading materials physicist and FLEET Director Prof Michael Fuhrer has been recognised for his contributions to science, elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Professor Fuhrer is one of 20 researchers elected as Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, announced today. Prof Michael Fuhrer is an international leader in study of the electronic properties of 2D and …

Inspiring outreach, with bombs and light circuits

Teaching energy, releasing creativity, and inspiring future scientists FLEET and Monash volunteers used catapults, graphite circuits and diffraction goggles to create challenges for 250 Mater Christi College students competing to win their annual STEM Cup. For the STEM Cup challenge, which is judged on teamwork, innovation and communication, FLEET designed two hands-on workshops that got middle and senior secondary students …

New CI Torben Daeneke

FLEET is pleased to announce that Dr Torben Daeneke is now a Chief Investigator in FLEET. As a Scientific Associate Investigator in FLEET (RMIT node) since the outset of the Centre, Torben and has been a prodigious contributor to FLEET’s research effort as well as FLEET’s governance. “I welcome the opportunity to become a FLEET Chief Investigator,” says Torben. “I …

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US-Australia condensed-matter/cold atoms colloquia series

FLEET hosts an ongoing series of talks by US, Australian and European researchers presenting novel developments in condensed-matter and cold-atomic physics, enriching connections between physics communities across the globe. The US-Australia/EU 'Transpacific' Colloquium series | attendance is open to everyone. 2024 Ilya Eremin, Ruhr-Universität Bochum - 15 May,  3PM (AEST), 7AM (CEST) Maria A. H. Vozmediano, Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales ...