Postgraduate Research Projects in Physics
This list indicates some of the project work available for graduate students to carry out research towards higher degrees (masters and PhD degrees). For further information please feel free to contact the staff members indicated.
General information on admission, competitive scholarships and application forms are available from the University's Postgraduate Studies Office and from the University's Higher Degree Research Unit.
Astronomy
Dr Alan Vaughan, Dr Quentin A Parker & Dr Mark WardleAnyone with an interest in post-graduate study in astronomy is encouraged to check out our current current research opportunities. Astronomical research at Macquarie is currently undergoing considerable growth with the recent appointment of two additional astronomers offering substantially increased opportunities for post-graduate research.
Current areas of research include: radio observations of active stars, pulsars, science from the PMN radio survey, large-scale proper motion studies and galactic dynamics from unique archival material; wide field astronomy, the AAO/UKST H-alpha sky survey, Planetary Nebulae and exploiting the unprecedented discoveries in the new Macquarie/AAO/Strasbourg catalogue, novel astronomical instrumentation and large scale observational programmes via multi-object spectroscopy on Australian built fibre-fed instruments such as 2dF and 6dF at the Anglo Australian Observatory (AAO). Also currently in progress at Macquarie is work on the accurate re-measurement of historic astronomical plates for the purpose of proper motion studies. Many of these projects would require the observation, reduction and analysis of data from a variety of telescopes here and overseas.
Projects involved with cutting edge astronomical instrumentation are also possible via jointly supervised projects between Macquarie University and The Anglo-Australian Observatory where strong links are now being developed. More general opportunities for co-supervision with astronomers at both the AAO and Australia Telescope National Facility are possible based on the research interests of AAO and ATNF staff astronomers who would act as co-supervisors.
Lasers and Photonics
Research in the area of Lasers and Photonics is currently undergoing a rapid expansion, with the recent creation of the Lasers and Photonics "Concentration of Research Excellence".
We are seeking for postgraduate students for more than 20 projects. Please browse through our detailed list of projects.
Quantum Information Science (QIS)
Architectures and Algorithms: Jason Twamley Quantum Information Science aims to develop the theory for exotic new types of computers which ? (so far), exist physically only in the lab. Such computers, called quantum computers, are able to use the fascinating properties of quantum science to execute numerical computations much faster than a PC. In fact, theoretically such a computer (if operating at the same speed as your PC), could solve problems in minutes which your PC would need THE AGE OF THE EARTH to solve! Such computing power is almost hard to imagine but if possible could revolutionalize how we use information. Examples of possible postgraduate projects in QIS are designing new architectures for quantum computers based on 1D and 2D graphs, exploring quantum games, looking at cellular automata operating under quantum rules, etc. For more information on QIS-based PhD Scholarships see? http://www.ics.mq.edu.au/research/postgrad/scholarships/offers.htm