Author: kharley

On Thursday 15 August 2024, as part of the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip, Dr Ben McAllister gave a public talk titled Shining a light on dark matter.

Australian scientists are on the cutting edge of the quest to unravel one of the biggest mysteries in the Universe: the nature of dark matter. This talk discusses the innovative research being conducted to understand the elusive substance that makes up about 85% of the matter in the Universe. Central to these efforts is the development of new technologies, including quantum technologies, which are enhancing our capabilities to search for dark matter with unprecedented precision. We will learn how new technology and new experiments are pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and bringing us closer to uncovering the secrets of the cosmos. This talk is designed for all audiences, offering a glimpse into the world of Australian and global dark matter research, and the future of quantum science.

About the speaker

Dr Ben McAlister is a physicist and science communicator who works across dark matter and quantum technology. When he’s not in the lab working on new experiments, he’s usually somewhere else talking about them. Ben works at Swinburne University of Technology, and is a member of the Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) and Dark Matter Particle Physics (CDM). He is one of the organisers of the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip, and a lifelong North Melbourne Football Club tragic.

Check out the highlights from the 2024 National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip!

These photos were captured by road trippers as they crossed the country from Queensland, through the Northern Territory, via remote communities, and finishing in Western Australia.

This year was the fourth Quantum & Dark Matter roadtrip was more remote than ever, visiting the Northern Territory for the first time.

Click on the thumbnails to see the full photos.

David Astle recently interviewed one of our road trippers, Dr. Ben McAllister, on ABC Evenings to discuss dark matter, cosmic ghosts, galactic rotation curves, and the mysteries of particle physics. Ben was preparing to embark on the 2024 Quantum and Dark Dark Matter Roadtrip from Brisbane to Broome, traveling through rural regions of Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. Listen to the full interview below!

EQUS and CDM held another highly successful National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip in 2024, visiting the Northern Territory, and Indigenous schools and communities for the first time.

This year, a team of 13 EQUS and/or CDM members travelled 8,000 kilometres from Brisbane to Broome, visiting 18 schools and delivering 6 public events.  An additional seven public events were held in metropolitan areas in WA, NSW, VIC, Tasmania, and online.

The road trippers who joined different legs of the journey were: Ben McAllister, Kristen Harley, Anita Vecchies, Kerstin Beer, Lachlan Rogers, Ben Field, Emma Paterson, Haylea Purnell, Jesse Slim, Rakesh Saini, Teehani Ralph, Tim Newman and Varun Srivastava. In addition, Will Campbell, John Bartholomew, Xanthe Croot, Elisabetta Barberio, Laura Manenti and others participated in the pop-up events.

Lachlan led the prequel “Physics in the Outback” road trip in 2018, so it was great that he was able to participate in the final road trip as well.  He said:

“The road trip was absolutely spectacular! For a part of Australia widely known to be “vast empty space” there were an amazing number of things to see and enjoy.  We had to drive past numerous recommended sites without even stopping!  The diversity of public engagement was really rewarding.  Some schools were large auditoriums full of moderate-to-keen high-school students, and other visits were a handful of children in remote communities.  We were welcomed with interest everywhere we went (including pub quizzes).”

The road trip received considerable media coverage, including five unique print and/or online media stories (syndicated across 90 titles), and 6 radio spots, helping to promote science to a wide audience across rural, regional and metropolitan areas of Australia.

The road trip also raised $489 for Deadly Science through donations from event participants.

Kerstin said this year’s road trip was one of the most exciting weeks of her life:

 “It provided me with a unique opportunity to experience fascinating landscapes and cultures that I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.  It also offered a valuable chance to enhance my science communication skills, whether engaging with primary-school children or speaking to adults in a pub.”

The National Quantum and Dark Matter Road Trip recently visited the Central West and made the Longreach Leader!

See article in the Longreach Leader

The National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip was featured in EducationHQ!

Read the story: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/the-national-quantum-and-dark-matter-road-trip-coming-to-the-territory-for-the-first-time/news-story/7ceaaceacc1039806622be0462a55eac.

—by Australian Associated Press

A team of scientists is travelling through Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, hoping to inspire the next generation of physicists in remote areas.

The scientists have been visiting schools and communities and hosting science pub trivia quizzes across Queensland during the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip.

Talking to students about dark matter, which Swinburne University of Technology physicist Ben McAllister told AAP is one of the biggest mysteries of the universe, and quantum physics, which is integral for solving this mystery, is meant not just to teach but to inspire.

“The main goal is not to be teaching them science content, although that’s nice if you can do that,” he said.

“The main goal is about inspiring the next generation of scientists and letting them know there is really awesome, cutting edge research in these fields going on in Australia.”

The scientists began their road trip in Brisbane on 4 August, ahead of National Science Week this week, and will end in Broome, WA, after crossing Queensland and the NT, on 19 August.

The road trip has been held each year since 2021 and this year Dr McAllister said the focus is on regional and remote communities who don’t usually have the opportunity to meet scientists face to face.

“If you don’t hear that message, if you don’t receive that message, then you would never know that it’s possible for you,” he said.

Bulla Camp School at Baines, a community in the Northern Territory, more than 400 kilometres south of Darwin near the WA border, is one such school.

There are just 11 primary students and principal Debbie Bailey said they’re always excited to have visitors at the school, although being so remote it’s not something that happens very often.

“We’re a long way from anything and we don’t have hotels and motels on our doorstep,” she said.

“Being willing to travel the distance and involve the students at the school, even if it’s only one student that it sparks interest in, it’s well worth it.”

Ms Bailey said the students they love learning about science, especially when they get to do hands-on experiments.

“Anything to do with making slime or mixing things together or having them change colour, the kids love it,” she said.

“Being able to physically touch and feel and see and even taste and smell different things and being able to explain how that happened.”

The National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip was featured in the NT News!

Read the story (pay-walled): https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/the-national-quantum-and-dark-matter-road-trip-coming-to-the-territory-for-the-first-time/news-story/7ceaaceacc1039806622be0462a55eac.

The National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip will visit regional and remote communities across Australia’s north this August.

The road trip – held annually since 2021 – will begin in Brisbane on 4 August and travel through the Northern Territory before finishing in Broome on 19 August.

Quantum and dark matter scientists will visit schools and host community events, such as pub trivia and demo days, with pop-up events also planned for capital cities and regional towns across Australia.

The Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) and for Dark Matter Particle Physics (CDM) are organising the event to coincide with National Science Week 2024.

The road trip aims to introduce quantum technology and particle physics to Australians, inspire a future generation of scientists and engineers, and highlight the potential of quantum technologies and dark matter discovery for the benefit of our society.

During the road trip, 13 scientists will present talks and demonstrations at schools across Australia’s north.

The cities and towns the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip will visit include:

Road trip organiser and physicist Dr Ben McAllister, from CDM, EQUS and Swinburne Institute of Technology, said this year’s route focused on regional and remote areas in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

“It is important to share the excitement of quantum and dark matter science with students and communities that might not otherwise have the opportunity to meet scientists face-to-face and learn about the cutting-edge science happening in Australia,” Dr McAllister said.

“We’re excited to be reaching more remote communities than previous road trips, both in number and the level of remoteness. This year’s trip will visit the Northern Territory for the first time – we’re especially grateful to be visiting Aboriginal communities and community-run schools and spaces for the first time.

Macquarie University and EQUS Research Fellow Dr Kerstin Beer was involved in last year’s event and is looking forward to taking part again this year.

“It was wonderful to meet students, especially girls, from communities across Australia and talk science. Inspiring women to get into physics or to think about a career in quantum is something close to my heart. It also sends the message that scientists can and should come from all backgrounds – we don’t all look and sound the same!”

“Science is all about creativity and discovery and that’s our message when we’re visiting students in regional and remote areas who might not usually get the chance to chat to scientists working in quantum and dark matter research.”

The 2023 National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip saw 24 members of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Systems (EQUS) and/or the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics (CDM) drive around regional and remote Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland over National Science Week, 7–25 August 2023. The team spoke to students from 18 schools and delivered 12 public events during the trip, engaging members of the public at schools, pubs and community hubs in all things quantum and dark matter.

Check out some highlights (thanks to Kerstin Beer for putting the video together!):