Research

The School of Physics at the University of Wollongong is a highly ranked, research-intensive unit with a world-class reputation for excellence in research.

Physics at the University of Wollongong has been rated as "well above world standard" in the Excellence in Research for Australia results 2018. As well as scoring the highest possible rating of 5 for the entire Field of Research (FOR) "02 – Physical Sciences", the maximum score of 5 was also attained in the sub-fields of "0204 – Condensed Matter Physics" and in "0299 – Other Physical Sciences", which embraces "029903 – Medical Physics".

These results are a testimony to the EIS Faculty research powerhouses within the School of Physics which include the Centre for Quantum Devices, Optics and Solids and the Centre for Medical and Radiation Physics. Such recognition is achieved through our active engagement with a significant network of local, national and international industry partnerships and collaborations that continues to grow every year.

Top rated

Physics at UOW was given the maximum rating of "Well above world standard" in the 2018 Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) rankings.

ERA 2018

Top 150

UOW ranks among the world's top 150 universities for Physical Sciences.

Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by subject 2023

Research powerhouses

The Centre for Medical Radiation Physics (CMRP) is mainly dedicated towards the development of semiconductor detectors and dosimeters for clinical applications in radiation protection, radiation oncology, medical imaging and nuclear medicine. Other research themes include the development of radiation transport simulation tools for medical physics and space medicine, and nanoparticles and nano-structured particles for targeted radiotherapy. Members of the CMRP are affiliated with the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) as well as the UOW Molecular Horizons Institute.

The Centre for Quantum Devices, Optics and Solids (qDOS) conducts world-leading research in condensed matter physics, thin film technology (TFT), magnetism and superconductivity, and terahertz science, conducting both experimental and theoretical work. Members of qDOS are affiliated with the Australian Institute of Innovative Materials (AIIM) and the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM).

Find a researcher

Research interests by researcher

Researcher

Research interests

Dr Dean Cutajar

Advanced brachytherapy dosimetry

Associate Professor Susanna Guatelli

Development and use of Monte Carlo simulation tools for applications in medicine, space and industry application. The projects are in radiation physics.

Scientific computing.

Associate Professor Joseph Horvat

 

Terahertz spectroscopy, DFT modelling, frustrated spin systems

Study of hydrogen bonds in molecular crystals, including amino-acids, using terahertz spectroscopy and DFT modelling.

Magnetic interactions in rare earth orthoferrites.

Dr Lorna Jarrett

 

 

Environmental education

Climate change education

Physics education

Designing successful outreach programs

Dr Nicholas Jones

Remote sensing of atmospheric chemical constituents using ground based spectroscopic techniques, inverse methods in remote sensing, analysis of spectra from remote sensing instruments.

Professor Michael Lerch

 

Electronic properties of semiconductors to the design and development of novel, solid state based sensors and instrumentation for application in radiation medicine.

Optimization of radiation medicine created by the physical and semiconducting properties of silicon based sensors and engineered nano-ceramics in different radiation field environments.

Senior Professor Roger Lewis

 

 

Terahertz Physics. Terahertz radiation sources. Detectors of terahertz radiation. Active and passive components for manipulating terahertz radiation, including polarization control and beamshaping. Applications of terahertz radiation to areas such as authentication and conservation of artwork, industrial processing and plastics recycling.

Dr Enbang Li

Photonics, Optical fibre sensing, Fibre-optic radiation detection.

Dr Alessandra Malaroda

Dosimetry in targeted radionuclide therapy and nuclear medicine imaging

Senior Professor Peter Metcalfe

 

 

Clinical medical physics,

Radiation dosimetry for stereotactic radiotherapy, MRI-Linac dosimetry,

MRI Biomarkers,

Radiomics,

Robotic guided dosimetry.

Professor Alexey Pan

 

Superconductivity, Magnetism, Thin Film Technology.

Spin-charge transport and interactions at interfaces in hybrid multilayered heterostructures.

Properties of Oxide materials, Oxide-based structures and devices.

Associate Professor Marco Petasecca

 

 

Design and development of Silicon radiation detectors for space and medical applications

Design and development of Electronic digital readout and analog front end for radiation detection instrumentation

Radiation hardness modelling and characterisation of radiation detectors for high energy physics, space and medical applications

Medical Physics and medical instrumentation

Dr Yujin Qi

 

 

Advanced nuclear imaging physics, instrumentation and applications, including new or improved image detector development, system simulation and design for novel imaging tools, the study of accurately quantitative 3D image reconstruction techniques for specific biomedical imaging and radiotherapy applications.

Distinguished Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld

 

 

Radiation detection and dosimetry for medical, space and aviation applications including micro- and nano-dosimetry. Quality assurance instrumentation for radiation therapy including proton and heavy ion therapy and medical imaging.  Radiation transport simulations for modelling of micro- and nano-dosimetry. Radiation physics of nanoparticles and its applications in radiation medicine. Radiobiology of charged particle therapy.

Dr George Takacs

 

 

Atmospheric science, climatology, science education research, radiation physics.

Dr Moeava Tehei 

 

-Design and application of new nanomaterials theranostic platforms for targeted treatment of cancer

-Targeted Nano-Therapies: In vitro and in vivo studies. 

-Synchrotron Microbeam Activated Radiation Therapy (SMART)

-Synchrotron Activated Radiation Therapy (SART)

-Elaboration of cancer therapies and imaging by combining the effects of targeted radiations and drugs or nanoparticles at the nano-scale level.

-Neutron scattering

-Radiobiology

Associate Professor Rodney Vickers

 

 

 

Far infrared spectroscopy of impurities in semiconductors is the theme of most of the 17 refereed articles published since 2001. These include publications in such well-regarded journals as Physical Review B and Applied Physics Letters. Techniques employed include the application of high magnetic fields and cooling of samples to below 4.2 Kelvin. External stress is also applied including an innovative technique of controlled self-stress at low levels. Grants received included ARC discovery, ARC linkage infrastructure, ARC linkage international and research infrastructure. 

Generation of THz radiation and its use in spectroscopy.

Senior Professor Chao Zhang

 

 

Transport and optical properties of low dimensional electronic systems such as semiconductors quantum wells, graphene, and carbon nanotubes. Theoretical study of electron correlation and scattering, quantum and classical plasmons, surface plasmon polariton excitations in nanosystems. Theory and simulation of spin-related transport and optical processes in spintronic systems. Thermionics and thermoelectrics in semiconductors.