Emily Filmer
From string theory to dark matter, Emily Filmer wants to answer the big questions of the universe.
It is not unusual for a child to dream of being a ballerina or a firefighter, inspired by their favourite television program or movie.
It is less usual for a three-year-old to say that she wants to grow up to become a physicist.
But according to Emily Filmer’s father, that is exactly what the precocious toddler told him when they were watching a documentary about string theory.
“I decided that I was going to disprove string theory,” Ms Filmer laughs.
The PhD student at the University of Adelaide and Dark Matter Centre member now spends her time trying to solve a different but equally elemental question about the nature of dark matter.
Despite her childhood proclamation, Ms Filmer’s pathway towards a career as a physicist only began in earnest in secondary school, where she became fascinated with the intersection between the universe and subatomic particles – the very big and the very small.
“I was interested in the physics of the things you can’t see or touch – the intangible.”
She liked the idea that she was interested in completely different area of science to most of her peers, and while she was enthusiastic and engaged, she did not consider herself to be the best maths student in her class.
Ms Filmer gained her undergraduate degree in Space Science and Astrophysics in Adelaide, before embarking on her PhD into ‘Dark matter searches with the ATLAS detector.’
The ATLAS detector is one of two general purpose detectors at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. It investigates a wide range of physics, from the search for the Higgs boson to extra dimensions and particles that could make up dark matter.
Ms Filmer is one of more than 3000 scientists from 174 institutes in 38 countries work on the ATLAS experiment. Her research involves 3am Zoom conversations with colleagues on the other side of the globe.
“I love the variety of the work. I get to tinker with circuit boards, learn to code, do stats, meet new people and talk about different projects. Everyone has different ideas and that is really exciting.”
Her options for the future are wide open and she will consider a range of jobs, from being a school teacher to working in academia or industry.
She recommends the pathway to students considering their next step.
“Choose what makes you happiest but don’t discount STEM – it’s a much more welcoming place than it was a decade ago. There are lots of people working very hard to make it better for women and minority groups.
“You don’t need to be the best maths student to succeed, you just have to be interested.”