Melbourne Quantum and Dark Matter Experience

Lineup

• More details about Searching for Dark Matter, on Earth and in the Stars

  Searching for Dark Matter, on Earth and in the Stars

  The quest to identify the dark matter that pervades our Universe is one of the foremost goals in science today. Yet its elusive nature makes this a formidable task. This talk will describe how physicists are hunting for dark matter in experiments on Earth, and how the stars themselves may act as giant dark matter detectors. Professor Nicole Bell is a theoretical physicist at the University of Melbourne. Her research lies at the interface of particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, with particular expertise in dark matter and neutrino physics. She leads the Theory Program of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the American Physical Society.

• More details about Cells & Superpositions: New Quantum Tools for the Life Sciences

  Cells & Superpositions: New Quantum Tools for the Life Sciences

  Quantum technologies are now attracting substantial hype among media, investors, and governments, promising improvements across computing, communication, and advanced sensing. As the governing physics of the very small, it’s natural to wonder whether there is any benefit to be had from exploiting quantum mechanics to better understand the mechanisms of life, which tend to occur on micro- and- nanoscopic scales. While very little in the way of ‘quantum biotechnology’ has yet entered the mainstream, exciting work in this area is very much underway in labs around the world. In this lecture, we’ll dive into some of the most promising possible uses of quantum biotechnologies, from detecting how molecules change shape inside the body, imaging electrical signals within neurons and brains, and even designing new of types of proteins which may one day allow us to control our own cells using magnetic fields. Along the way, we’ll demystify the terminology surrounding the word ‘quantum’ and get to the heart of when and where that does (and doesn’t) mean ‘better’. Dan is a McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne. He conducts experimental research in surface and materials science, semiconductor physics, and photonics with a focus on the application of colour centres in diamond to optical and optoelectronic sensing, particularly biosensing and voltage imaging for neuroscience. Daniel received B. Eng (engineering physics) and B. Sc (applied mathematics) degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, in 2017, and is a recipient of the Canada Governor General’s Academic Medal. He received his PhD (physics) from the University of Melbourne in 2021.