Isabelle Ostrowski

• PhD student
• CDM
• University of Melbourne
• Road-tripping Adelaide to Sydney (2025)

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

Everything around us, humans, trees, even stars, is made of tiny things called particles. You can imagine particles like different kinds of Lego bricks that fit together to build everything we see. We think there are some special particles we haven’t discovered yet. We think they don’t really fit together with the particles we do know, so they’re hard to find. I work on an experiment in Japan that’s trying to find these missing pieces. It’s at a big particle factory, where we smash particles together and see what new ones appear! We’re hoping to discover some of these hidden particles, so we can complete our catalogue and better understand what the Universe is really made of.

How did you get to where you are today?

I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to study until later in high school. When I first took physics, I actually didn’t find it all that interesting or challenging, so I spent a lot of class time getting distracted by chatting with friends about sci-fi, scrolling through Tumblr, or just randomly browsing the internet. One day, during one of those internet rabbit holes, I stumbled across the Wikipedia page for the Standard Model of particle physics. I know this sounds like a fake story, but it’s 100% true! Although I didn’t understand much, what I did learn was really intriguing. It was incredible to learn that we’ve figured out so much about how the Universe works at the tiniest scales and yet there are still many huge mysteries left to solve. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to study particle physics. I started paying more attention in class and focused on building up the foundations I’d need to understand those big questions. That curiosity is what brought me to where I am today.

What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing science or physics??

It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re really passionate about something specific. If you already know exactly what you want to do, you’re really lucky, but it’s still important to develop a well-rounded and diverse skill set. Exploring different areas, picking up new skills, or getting involved in things outside your main focus can take you in directions you never expected, and often those experiences end up helping you in surprising ways. Stay curious, stay open to new opportunities, and try not to stress too much. I definitely spent more time worrying than I needed to. In fact, some of the most defining moments in my path came when I let go a little, took things less seriously, and gave something new a try.

What are your interests outside work/physics?

I spend most of my free time watching tv shows, playing video games (I am currently trying to 100% Clair Obscur: Expedition 33), going bouldering, and running.

 

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