The School has a number of very strong research groups that focus on both experimental and theoretical areas.
We are a research-focused school that attracts national and international competitive grants. We have an international reputation for producing exceptional students and cutting-edge research, and we collaborate with major physics institutes and laboratories around the country and the world.
- Astronomy and astrophysics
- Gravitational waves
- Atomic, molecular and surface physics
- Experimental Quantum Dynamics Group
- Biophysics and medical physics
- Medical Radiation Physics Research Group
- BioAcoustics Group
- Frequency standards and metrology
- Gradiometry
- Computational physics
- Theoretical physics
- Condensed matter
Astronomy and astrophysics
Initiated in October 2006 with the arrival of the two Premier’s Fellows – Peter Quinn and Lister Staveley-Smith – this group conducts a research program strongly focused on the scientific cases for the Square Kilometre Array and the SKA Pathfinders covering observational, theoretical and computational astronomy and astrophysics.
The key science areas include the formation and evolution of galaxies, cosmology, dark matter and dark energy, the epoch of reionisation, the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, the formation of planetary systems and the physics of pulsars and black holes.
- Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group
- The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR)
Gravitational waves
The Australian International Gravitational Research Centre is part of the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA), and was established in 1990 to enable a cooperative research centre providing a national focus in a major frontier in physics: the detection of gravitational waves and the development of gravitational astronomy.
The Consortium comprises the University of Adelaide, Australian National University, Charles Sturt University, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of New South Wales, and the University of Western Australia.
Atomic, molecular and surface physics
The Atom / Spin group focuses on research involving positron scattering from surfaces and materials, spin-polarised electron scattering from surfaces, and spin-polarised electron scattering from free single atoms.
Experimental Quantum Dynamics Group
The core research activities of the Experimental Quantum Dynamics Group (EQD) concern the interaction of photons and electrons with gas phase atoms and molecules.
To achieve these studies ground-breaking technology has been invented and is in the process of development.
Biophysics and medical physics
The BioMagnetics Research Group carries out research on naturally occurring magnetic materials in biological systems and on the development of novel physical methods for their characterisation, measurement, detection, and imaging.
The Group also is developing magnetic nanoparticle systems and complementary instrumentation for biomedical and medical applications. The Group is part of the UWA Centre for Strategic Nanofabrication (CSNF) and the Western Australian Nanochemistry Research Institute (WANRI).
Medical Radiation Physics Research Group
Among other things, the group conducts research into radiobiology, clinical medicine and health technologies, and provides radiation physics teaching in biophysics, nuclear physics, radiation health and medical physics.
BioAcoustics Group
The BioAcoustics Research Group carries out research on bioacoustics in several related fields.
Its initial focus was on cetacean echolocation, but aspects of musical acoustics were subsequently included.
Its core activities include pure basic research, applied research and experimental development.
Frequency standards and metrology
The FSM research group is aimed at building instruments with world-class precision and performance and to use these devices to make measurements of high value and interest in both fundamental physics and more practical applications.
The instruments are based around the concepts of frequency and phase measurement and control that give rise to "the" superb performance.
The group has two divisions, radio frequency and optical.
Gradiometry
Closely affiliated with FSM, this group's research is centred on precision metrology, superconductivity, and the use of liquid helium.
Its core activity is to develop a gravity gradiometer instrument for geophysical exploration. The research has a strong commercial focus and is fully funded by Rio Tinto
Back to topComputational physics
The quantum dynamics and computation group conducts research in the areas of quantum dynamics, information processing and quantum comoutation.
Theoretical physics
Group overview and core activities
- Effective actions in gauge theories and quantum gravity.
- Off-shell formulations for matter-coupled supergravity in diverse dimensions.
- Geometry and dynamics of extended supersymmetric sigma-models.
Condensed matter
The research focus of the group is in the area created 20 years ago by the discovery of giant magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers.
Its current research topics are a continuation of theoretical work begun at that time on the general problem of magnetic excitations and electronic properties of exchange coupled multilayers.
Because of this long history of active participation in the field, the group today has strong collaborative links with many of the field's leading researchers.
School of Physics
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
