REPORTS
A Message From Australian Institute of Physics NSW Branch (continued)
has been modified to absorb the near infra-red light spectrum
to take photos of plants. To complement the adjusted camera
and algorithms produced to build Plant eHealth, Kira has also
created a method of delivery most appropriate for the consumer
via a web site.
Grahame Campbell and Professor Richard Garrett explore the
technology and infrastructure required to meet one of the world’s
most exciting engineering challen ges and answered questions
on Fusion and Engineering.
The AIP Women in Physics Lecture Series is one of our annual
highlights, intended to spread to a non-specialist audience
awareness of research and the possibilities offered by studying
physics. We were privileged this year to have Dr Katie Mack, a
theoretical astrophysicist from the University of Melbourne.
2nd: Oliver Nicholls, Barker College, Autonomous robotic
window cleaner for commercial buildings
Oliver’s project focus was to develop an autonomous robotic
window cleaner for commercial buildings. He successfully
researched, designed and developed a small autonomous
window cleaning robot prototype that can effectively clean and
dry high-rise windows whilst manoeuvring around architectural
obstacles.
The title of the talks that were presented in her tour was “Everything
you wanted to know about Dark Matter”. This event focused on
schools with Katie visiting a number of schools in Sydney and
Wollongong, as well as The Science Centre.
This event was organised and led so professionally by Dr Graeme
Melville in raising the profile of the women in physics, especially at
the high school level. The NSW branch of the Australian Institute
of Physics sincerely thanks Dr Katie Mack for her time and expert
knowledge.
3rd: Hannes Liu, Austin McCarroll and Charlie Stammers,
Knox Grammar Preparatory School, Optimus Mine
Hannes, Charlie and Austin have created an automated
land¬mine destroying robot called Optimus Mine. This is a robot
designed to automatically target and destroy unexploded land
mines in countries like Cambodia. It has a magnetic sensor arm
which is attracted to the metal mine casing and once triggered
the second phase of their program activates, which is a striking
detonation hammer.
Each year the Australian Institute of Physics of New South Wales
Branch nominates a distinguished speaker whose work has
covered a wide range of topics with an emphasis on Einstein’s
ideas and their consequences for physics and technology today.
This year the Einstein Lecture was held at the University of
Sydney on Wednesday 16 August 2017 and the NSW Branch
of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) had the privilege of Dr
Karl Kruszelnicki from the USYD presenting the Einstein Lecture
this year at the fabulous new Nanoscience Hub centre at Sydney
University on 'Great Moments in Science'. The NSW Branch of the
Australian Institute of Physics thoroughly thanks the University
of Sydney, for their support and use of facilities on hosting the
event.
My congratulations also go to all of our award winners in
NSW Physics during 2017. We were privileged this year to
acknowledge prizes of $200 and an AIP certificate for the best
graduating students from each University in recognition of
outstanding achievements in Physics. This initiative has been
set-up to recognize and target students to be involved in future
AIP initiatives. The AIP congratulates all the winners on their
achievements.
In its fourth year, the NSW Branch recognised the work of
individuals for community outreach to the discipline of physics
in New South Wales. The Award seeks to acknowledge an
individual, with a clearly notable record of work in contributing to
outreach, physics education, and has demonstrated passion for
the study of physics in New South Wales. The AIP congratulates
Dr Ragbir Bhathal from Western Sydney University as our fourth
year winner of the Community Outreach to Physics Award in
2017.
Dr Karl’s enthusiasm and passion for this exciting area of physics
and science, along with his keen communication skills, ensured
the outstanding success of this lecture as the packed audience
would testify. The NSW branch of the Australian Institute of Physics
sincerely thanks Dr Karl for his time and expert knowledge.
The Australian Institute of Physics NSW Branch contributed to
some exciting new prizes with the STANSW Young Scientist
Awards in 2017. This prize included the AIP's Most Outstanding
Physics Award to the student who best represents the theme
'Drones, Droids and Robots'. Congratulations to the following
student projects as our winners:
This year’s Dirac Medal on Monday 6th of November was given
by Professor Boris Altshuler from the Department of Physics at
Columbia University. The lecture focused on frontier issues in
theoretical physics. The Dirac Medal for the Advancement of
Theoretical Physics is awarded by UNSW in association with
the Australian Institute of Physics NSW branch and The Royal
Society of NSW. The Lecture and the Medal commemorate the
1st: Kira Macarthur, Homeschool – Menai, Plant eHealth
Kira has created a digital camera system which can analyse the
amount of photosynthesis in the leaves of a plant. The camera
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 1