Dear {Contact_First_Name},
There was mixed news for the physics community recently with the 2026-2027 federal budget providing $1.5 billion of additional funding for CSIRO, the National Measurement Institute, the Australian Space Agency and the Square Kilometre Array, plus up to $70m for AI development and commercialisation through upcoming rounds of the CRC and CRC-P program in 2026 and 2027. Physicists in industry will want to digest the reforms to the R&D tax incentive for businesses which seem to be broadly positive. There is an estimated $400m increase in investment for genuine R&D activity targeting young firms.
NCRIS grants have also been announced, funding Australia’s two research supercomputing facilities NCI and Pawsey and other infrastructure projects that will directly benefit the physics community. The news is less positive when we consider research funding more generally. The $800m Australian Economic Accelerator Ignite program was scrapped, after grants had been submitted and reviewed, with the funds to be redirected to other science and research initiatives. This is disappointing given the amount of work that goes into submitting and evaluating proposals and the 19% real decline in ARC and NHMRC funding over the past 12 years. The AIP has advocated on behalf of mid-career researchers affected by changes to the ARC Future Fellowships program. Following extensive feedback from members, the AIP has written to the ARC requesting an additional opportunity for researchers who exhausted their submission limits due to uncertainty surrounding the transition to the FT27 round. There are important strategic measures prompted by the recent Ambitious Australia review of our national R&D system. A new National Resilience and Science Council will provide strategic oversight of investments to better align them with Australia’s economic objectives, while universities will be able to specialise in particular research fields under changes to the registration requirements. However, the best recommendation of that review – restoring ARC and NHMRC funding to historic levels to actually make Australia ambitious – has not yet been addressed and we continue to live in very uncertain times for basic research. In 2025, the AIP rebooted its Policy Committee, and we would be very keen to receive your thoughts on these issues spo@aip.org.au. Congratulations to educator and science communicator Noël Hanna on his appointment as the AIP’s Honorary Secretary, I look forward to working with him over the next few years. We thank outgoing Honorary Secretary A/Prof Michael Schmidt for his dedication and contribution to the physics community. You should have received an email announcement that abstracts and nominations for focus groups are now open for the AIP Congress 2026 – I look forward to seeing you all there. Finally, a reminder to all physicists to use their position and influence to continue to promote and advocate for the physics community. |
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Stuart Midgley
President, Australian Institute of Physics |
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AIP and ANZOS Congress 2026 |
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Focus Session submissions are now welcome for the AIP and ANZOS Congress 2026. Successful focus sessions will be integrated into the Congress program and will help showcase your work in a space that matters. Focus sessions provide an opportunity for researchers, educators and industry leaders to explore emerging ideas, challenges and breakthroughs in greater depth. Sessions should be designed to encourage interdisciplinary discussion, knowledge sharing and engagement across an international physics community. We welcome proposals across all areas of physics, including fundamental science, technology, industry collaboration and education. Contributors are encouraged to design a format best suited to their topic, from panel discussions and tutorials to interactive or community-led conversations. Focus Sessions will form an integrated part of the Congress program. To submit for a focus session, follow the instructions provided on our submission page.
Applications close on 26 June. |
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Events
OPAL | Past, Present and Future Explore the past, present and future of OPAL, Australia’s world-class research reactor, at this hybrid public panel event at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus on 16 June. Hear how OPAL has shaped nuclear medicine, silicon irradiation and neutron research globally. Optional reactor tour and post-event dinner available. Presented with the Royal Australian Chemical Institute NSW, Australian Institute of Physics NSW and Royal Society NSW. |
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Welcome Noël Hanna
Educator, researcher and science communicator Dr Noël Hanna has been appointed Honorary Secretary of the AIP. Based at UNSW College, Dr Hanna specialises in acoustics and STEM education, with experience spanning early childhood to postgraduate teaching. A passionate advocate for accessible science communication, he has published widely and mentored educators across the Asia-Pacific region. |
Dr Hanna said, “I am looking forward to highlighting the enormous range of work that physicists do, and to supporting those who inspire and train the next generation of physicists.” Read the full article.
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Awards and prizes
Students and early career researchers working in condensed matter physics can now apply for the AIP Condensed Matter & Materials ECR awards for Wagga2027/AMN12 this year hosted in Auckland. Up to 10 awards will support conference participation and presentations. Applications close 23 August 2026 alongside abstract submissions. Recognise an outstanding physicist with a nomination for the Dirac Medal for the Advancement of Physics, awarded by UNSW and the AIP and sponsored by Diraq. The selection criteria include distinguished contributions to physics and demonstrated capability to present a compelling public lecture on physics surrounding their area of research. Nominations close 6 July. Shine a spotlight on excellence in optics and photonics through the 2026 ANZOS Awards, for early- and mid-career research, entrepreneurship and science communication. Awards include the W.H. Steel Medal, John Love Award and Warsash Science Communication Prize. Nominations close 26 June. Submissions are now open for the Avalon 2027 Innovation Pitchfest and Awards, showcasing emerging Australian innovation across aerospace, technology and industry. The program offers cash prizes and exposure to investors and collaborators, with categories recognising young innovators, emerging technologies and bold blue-sky ideas. Dr Ying-Jiun Chen of Forschungszentrum Jülich, has received the 2026 IUPAP Early Career Scientist Prize in Magnetism, recognising outstanding theoretical or experimental contributions to fundamental and applied magnetism. The award will be presented at the International Conference on Magnetism (ICM2027) in Puerto Rico in June 2027.
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In brief: events, opportunities and updates
Quantum Australia
Quantum Australia has opened applications for NewQ, its eight-week pre-accelerator program supporting emerging quantum and quantum-adjacent startups. Designed for researchers and aspiring founders, the program provides mentorship, commercialisation support and industry connections. Applications close 21 June 2026, with the program commencing in July.
Queensland Branch The Queensland Branch of the AIP recently supported two events promoting inclusion and career pathways in physics. At UQ's Women in Science, Mathematics and Physics event, researchers shared insights into both scientific discovery and academic careers. The Branch also joined QUT’s Science Careers Expo, highlighting the diverse opportunities a physics degree can unlock across research, technology, defence, energy and data science. Pictured below.
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Condensed Matter and Materials Group Connect with Australia’s condensed matter and materials physics community through the AIP Condensed Matter and Materials Group (CMM). The group supports collaboration, representation and the long-running “Wagga” conference series, with a strong focus on student participation, early career researchers and informal scientific exchange.
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#PhysicsGotMeHere When every second counts: How physics led Radhika Feron into data science For Radhika Feron, Senior Data Scientist at Telstra, physics became the foundation for solving real-world problems with real human impact. Based in Melbourne, her work focuses on improving the reliability of critical systems, including emergency call services, using machine learning and advanced analytics to identify issues before they escalate.
After studying physics and computer engineering at the University of Newcastle, Radhika’s career unexpectedly shifted from a planned PhD pathway into data science through the Telstra graduate program. Today, she combines systems thinking, modelling and problem-solving skills developed through physics to tackle complex operational challenges.
“Physics got me here by teaching me how to think, not just what to learn,” she says.
Radhika hopes more students recognise that physics can lead into industries where curiosity, adaptability and analytical thinking can make a tangible difference. Read more.
If you would like to be featured, or nominate a colleague for a #PhysicsGotMeHere profile, please contact our editors.
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Physics in the news
ANU spin-out Liquid Instruments has secured $70 million to expand its AI-driven measurement technology. Founded on research from the ANU Research School of Physics and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the company develops reconfigurable platforms that consolidate multiple test instruments into one system.
Researchers at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider have reported some of the strongest signs yet of possible physics beyond the Standard Model. Studies of rare “penguin decays” revealed behaviour that differs from theoretical predictions, suggesting unknown particles or forces may be influencing the interactions. Sydney-founded Diraq has secured a proposed US$38 million funding agreement from the US Department of Commerce to advance silicon-based quantum computing processors. The investment recognises the commercial potential of Diraq’s silicon spin technology and the growing role of CMOS manufacturing in scalable, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Researchers from ANU and OzGrav have used collisions between black holes to calibrate gravitational-wave detectors, improving the accuracy of some of the world’s most sensitive scientific instruments. The breakthrough used exceptionally strong signals to test detector performance while studying the black holes themselves. The updated European Strategy for Particle Physics has outlined a long-term vision for exploring the fundamental structure of matter and the Universe. The strategy will guide future investment, international collaboration and major research infrastructure across particle physics in Europe and beyond.
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AIP Membership
Free Teacher Associate Membership
The AIP has launched a free Teacher Associate membership category for Australian school teachers. The initiative aims to strengthen links between schools and the broader physics community.
Teacher Associate membership includes:
- our monthly newsletter with updates on physics education, outreach and events;
- electronic access to Australian Physics magazine; and
- resources and opportunities that can be shared with students to encourage interest in physics.
Applicants must be currently teaching at an Australian school and register using an official school email address.
This category is available to schoolteachers only and does not include voting rights or financial member benefits. Find out more.
Don’t let AIP Membership slip through your fingers!
It is not too late to join or renew your AIP membership! Financial members of the AIP have access to numerous benefits including discounts to AIP events, our quarterly magazine Australian Physics, and financial support for students. Take the opportunity to renew before the end of the financial year! If you have any questions, please email aip@aip.org.au.
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Jobs board
The AIP is partnering with Physics World Jobs to deliver a dedicated jobs board for physics-related roles. Employers can post both paid listings and complimentary ads, with free postings featured for up to two weeks. Find out more.
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Thank you to our supporters
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The Australian Institute of Physics, PO Box 73, Parkville 3052, VIC Australia.
You are receiving this bulletin from the Australian Institute of Physics because you are a valued stakeholder. Would you like to become a member, or renew your membership with the AIP? Members receive discounts to events, online and physical copies of the Australian Physics magazine, be able to be nominated for prizes and awards, have access to travel money, support physics in Australia and more. Join Australia's leading physicists today here. To renew your AIP membership, click here. Sent by Science in Public, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Physics, aip.org.au. Send enquiries and contributions by the 20th of each month to physics@scienceinpublic.com.au.
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