The journey of Australian science – Oliphant and nuclear physics

Join the Australian Academy of Science in our 70th anniversary year for a look at our history and into our future, at our 2024 public speaker series. 

In each instalment, we will follow the story of one scientific discipline, with an Academy Fellow and an early-career researcher as our expert guides. 

Across geology, virology, astronomy and more, we will trace history from landmark discoveries to the present cutting edge of Australian science. 

Along the way, we will get to know the Academy’s iconic earliest Fellows who shaped Australian science: from Mark Oliphant to Frank Fenner to Dorothy Hill. We will experience the challenges and curly conundrums that they grappled with, celebrate their triumphs and breakthroughs, and look ahead to today’s emerging generation of top minds following in their footsteps. 

Join us to ignite your curiosity with a series of epic science journeys.

Tickets to individual events are available for $17 (in person) or free (online).

Speakers 

• Professor Nanda Dasgupta FAA, Director, Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility, Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications, Research School of Physics, Australian National University 
• Dr Ed Simpson, Senior Lecturer, Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications, Research School of Physics, Australian National University

Event details 

Date: Tuesday 8 October 2024

Time: 5.30pm–6.00pm at the venue for refreshments, followed by the talks 6.00pm–7.00pm AEDT 

Venue: The Shine Dome Canberra, and online livestream 

Cost: $17 to attend in person, free online 

Thank you to the series convenors

• Dr Oliver Mayo FAA FTSE, University of Adelaide 
• Professor Susanne von Caemmerer FAA FRS, Australian National University 
• Associate Professor Raffaella Demichelis, Curtin University