Eleanor Trimby

PhD student
QUBIC
University of Queensland
Road-tripping in Tasmania in 2026

How would you describe your work to a 10-year-old?

There are chemicals moving around our bodies all the time: some chemicals move into our muscles when we tense them, other chemicals move around our brains when we are thinking. Some of these chemicals emit very tiny magnetic fields when they move. If we want to understand processes in our bodies, one way to do that is to measure these fields. Because they are so small, they cannot be detected using normal magnetic field sensors, so instead I help design specialized ‘quantum sensors’. Saying that a system is ‘quantum’ is basically a fancy way of saying that it has weird behaviour. Usually this behaviour appears when you look at things that are extremely small or extremely big, or extremely hot or extremely cold. For example, I look at the behaviour of atoms, the tiny particles that make up everything that we can see around us, and look at how they respond to magnetic fields. I can see changes in their behaviour when they detect the tiny magnetic fields from an athlete’s muscles and brain. This allows me to measure how the athlete’s muscles are performing or diagnose whether they are concussed.

How did you get to where you are today?

In school, I really enjoyed puzzles and problem-solving, so one of my favourite subjects was maths. I also loved watching documentaries about science, especially physics and astronomy: my hero was Professor Brian Cox. I decided to study Physics and Astrophysics at university because it allowed me to combine the problem-solving of maths with some of the amazing ideas I’d heard about in documentaries. While I was studying, I did a project where I learnt about quantum computers. I found quantum physics so weird and interesting and I’ve been trying to learn and understand more about it ever since.

What’s the best thing about your role/work?

I get to keep learning all the time. Whether that’s through discussions with other scientists, trying new things in the lab, reading scientific papers or going to guest lectures at the university, I love finding out more about my research subject and about science in general! By working in research, I get to keep doing that.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying physics/science?

Follow what interests you, both in and outside of your studies! Even your skills and hobbies that don’t seem directly relevant to physics might be exactly what makes you stand out as a scientist. For example, my love of theatre has made me confident standing on a stage and explaining my research, which is important for teaching new students and building collaborations with other scientists. I also have a friend who is very creative and great at graphic design. He makes the best diagrams for explaining his research in scientific papers and posters!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work/besides physics?

When I’m not studying physics, I like to unwind by practicing yoga or writing poetry, or to keep active through pilates, dancing and hiking. I especially love going on hikes now that I live in Australia (I’m originally from England): the nature here is amazing!