Aug. 16th 2021 : Stawell lab takes centre stage in National Science Week
Students across Victoria will learn about the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) when it is featured in the University of Melbourne’s Science Festival’s masterclass series.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics students Maddy Zurowski and William Melbourne will talk about SUPL’s role in exploring dark matter in a Mid-Afternoon Masterclss between 2 and 3pm on Wednesday, 18 August.
The webinar is one of the week’s showcase events in the program held during National Science Week between 14 and 22 August.
The Mid-Afternoon Masterclass is titled Lighting the Dark Universe and will feature an interactive lecture, followed by a live Q&A session.
Organisers of the event expect the session to be broadcast in schools across the state and nationally, and to attract members of the wider community who are interested in science.
Ms Zurowski says she is looking forward to explaining dark matter and introducing students and community members to the research that will begin in Stawell later in the year.
“It’s wonderful to be able to introduce new audiences to the exciting research we are preparing to do in Stawell to explore dark matter, which might change the way we understand the universe,” she said.
“It’s also great for students and other participants to see what is involved in a career in science, and the different people involved in scientific research. National Science Week offers the opportunity for anyone to get an insight into the reality of scientific careers, and the exciting world-class research that Australian researchers are doing, whether in big cities or in regional Victoria.”
Mr Melbourne said the event demystified physics research – a subject that could seem remote from their everyday lives.
“It’s important that students understand what fundamental research looks like in practice so that they know that they can be part of this exciting area of study in the future. It is also beneficial for members of the community to gain an insight into the research that their public institutions are funding, so that they can understand its implications and potential.”
Register for the free Lighting the Dark Universe Mid-Afternoon Masterclass.
The Masterclass is one of more than 20 events planned as part of the University of Melbourne’s Science Festival.
As part of the week, Centre Director Elisabetta Barberio will be part of a panel for the University of Melbourne Science Dean’s Lecture discussing: Is scientific exploration worth the cost? Between 6 and 7pm today (16 August), while the Centre’s Professor Alan Duffy will appear in the National Science Quiz between 6 and 7pm on Thursday, 19 August. For the full program, visit the Science Festival website
BACKGROUND NOTES
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics was established in 2020 to bring together physicists from across Australia, in partnership with key international researchers and institutions, to pursue the discovery of Dark Matter.
Dark matter it is a mysterious substance that holds galaxies together and constitutes 80 per cent of the matter of the Universe. Its existence is inferred from its gravitational interaction and the exploration of the nature of dark matter is considered science’s next frontier.
The Centre is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and its researchers aim to make discoveries that could change our understanding of the universe.
Some of its research will be carried out in a laboratory located 1km underground in the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory in Stawell Gold Mine.
The underground location of the mine aims to reduce interference from cosmic rays, the high-energy particles that constantly rain down on Earth.
Construction of the laboratory has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.