Route announced for 2025 National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip

The National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip is back in 2025 to complete its lap across the length and breadth of Australia.

The annual road trip will begin in Karratha on 4 August and visit remote and regional schools and communities before finishing in Sydney on 17 August. There will also be pop-up events such as science-themed pub trivia, demonstrations and public lectures in capital cities across the country.

The lap of Australia began four years ago and road-tripping scientists have gradually visited regional and remote areas across the country, holding pop-up events across the nation’s capital cities.

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

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.

Road trip organiser and physicist Dr Ben McAllister, from CDM, EQUS and Swinburne University of Technology, says school events will involve presentations, demonstrations and Q&A sessions.

He says scientists are expecting to address questions from students about all things dark matter, quantum … and extraterrestrial.

“Every year the kids ask amazing questions about all kinds of things. Funnily enough we are constantly asked about aliens and even though it’s not technically our area of research, we’re happy to provide the best answers we can to whatever areas of science interest the students. We love hearing what interests them, and trying to connect them to science.

“We’re thrilled that this year we will be completing the lap of the country that we started four years ago, visiting schools and communities that might not usually have access to the cutting-edge science that’s happening right here in Australia.

“We talk about the ways quantum technology already impacts their lives, through its role in computing, medicine and communications – quantum technology is used in MRI machines, fibre optic cables and even barcode scanning.

“The road trip is an opportunity to introduce Australians to the researchers at the forefront of scientific exploration and hopefully inspire them to consider pursuing careers in science.”

During the road trip, 16 scientists from the University of Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology, Macquarie University, the University of Sydney and the University of Newcastle will present talks and demonstrations at schools across Australia.

The cities and towns it will visit are:

 

Scientists from the University of Sydney, Australian National University, Swinburne University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Newcastle and the University of Western Australia will present pop-up events in capital cities.

Macquarie University and EQUS Research Fellow Dr Kerstin Beer is looking forward to spreading the word about quantum and dark matter science in this year’s road trip, after participating in the past two events.

“I have been involved in two road trips so far and it’s fantastic to see how engaged and curious the students are when we talk to them about quantum and dark matter research.

“This year’s event is particularly important as it is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and we can explain the role that quantum plays and will continue to play in the lives of Australians.

“Through this National Science Week road trip, we aim to demystify science careers for students who might never have met a scientist face-to-face, and show them how inspiring and exciting science can be. This is particularly important as we know that students living in rural and regional areas of Australia are less likely to pursue a career in science and that is something we’d like to help change.”