Demo day & public talk: Sydney

• 16 August 2025
• 10am–1pm
• Sydney Nanoscience Hub, The University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2006

Join the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip in Sydney for a hands-on quantum and dark matter experience!

Australian scientists are on a cutting edge of the quest to unravel one of the biggest mysteries in the Universe: the nature of dark matter. Join us for an immersive event showcasing the cutting-edge science behind two of the most fascinating frontiers in physics. Through live demonstrations, expert talks, and exclusive lab tours, you’ll discover how Australian scientists are exploring the invisible universe: from the search for dark matter, which makes up 85% of all matter, to the powerful role of quantum technologies in unlocking its secrets. This event invites audiences of all ages to go behind the scenes of world-class research and witness how new experiments are pushing the boundaries of what we know about the cosmos.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 10.00 am: Demonstrations
• 10.30 am: Public Talk with Q&A from Dr John Bartholemew and Dr Theresa Fruth
• 11.30 am: Demonstrations and Lab Tours

Date: Saturday 16 August 2025
Time: 10am–1pm
Venue: Messel Lecture Theatre, Sydney Nanoscience Hub, Camperdown NSW

Throughout the event, the team will have interactive quantum and dark matter demos on display, as well as a range of activities such as colouring-in and badge-making.  There will also be opportunities to tour a quantum physics lab! In addition to these drop-in activities, the team will deliver short presentations on quantum technologies and dark matter discovery. At 10:30am, head to the Messel lecture theatre to hear talks from Theresa Fruth and John Batholomew.

Title: What is Quantum Science and is it Living Up to the Hype?
2025 is the United Nations International Year of Quantum celebrating 100 years since the puzzling discoveries of the early 1900s were formalised into a general theory. This theory of quantum mechanics has transformed the world, driven by advances in science and technology. This talk will give you an introduction into the quantum world from 19^th century light bulbs all the way through to Australia’s billion-dollar investment into quantum computing.

Speaker 2: Theresa Fruth
Theresa is part of the SABRE South collaboration, where she is leading the photo-multiplier tube working group.  She continues to work on the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, while also addressing challenges for a next-generation liquid xenon detector within the XLZD consortium. Theresa Fruth is an experimental astroparticle physicist, working on direct detection of dark matter.  Before joining The University of Sydney as a lecturer, she was a postdoctoral researcher at University College London, where she contributed to the commissioning and first science exploitation of the LZ dark matter search.

Title: Searching for Dark Matter in a Gold Mine
Deep beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota, nearly a mile underground in a former gold mine, scientists have created one of the quietest places on Earth. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment represents one of the most sensitive detectors currently searching for dark matter—the mysterious substance that comprises 85% of all matter in the universe. In this talk, I will explore why achieving ultra-low backgrounds is essential for detection and why going underground holds the key to success. I will also introduce Australia’s very own underground dark matter search, which is currently being built in the Stawell Physics Underground Laboratory.

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This event will have activities suitable for all ages.  The presentations are targeted at a junior high-school level, but should appeal to general audiences.

This is a FREE event but registration is required. We are very grateful to The University of Sydney for their support of this event.

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