Scientists start quantum & dark matter road trip in Brisbane
A group of scientists from across Australia will converge on Brisbane on Sunday, 4 August to begin the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip.
The road trip – held annually since 2021 to mark National Science Week – will travel through Queensland and the Northern Territory before finishing in Broome on 19 August.
Quantum and dark matter scientists will visit schools and host community events, such as pub trivia and demo days, with pop-up events also planned for capital cities and regional towns across Australia.
The Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) and for Dark Matter Particle Physics (CDM) are organising the event.
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.
During the road trip, 13 scientists and science communicators will present talks and demonstrations at schools across Australia’s north.
Road trip organiser and physicist Dr Ben McAllister, from CDM, EQUS and Swinburne University of Technology, said the fourth annual National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip would visit more remote areas than ever before.
“We have chosen a route across the north of Australia to ensure that we reach schools in rural and remote areas.
“Research shows us that students living outside capital cities are less likely to pursue careers in science, and that is something that we would like to change.
“We want the students to see that pathways into science careers are available to them. We also want to show them how exciting science can be. In our day-to-day jobs, we love having the opportunity to explore some of the great questions of the universe; we want to share that excitement with students as they consider their next step, whether they are choosing their subjects in Year 11 and 12, or their direction after school.”
EQUS and CDM researcher Teehani Ralph said she was looking forward to sharing her passion for science with students and helping them understand the role that quantum technologies play in their lives during the road trip.
“When you study quantum, you get to spend every day discovering and rethinking what you thought was possible. Things like teleportation or travelling through solid objects all seem like superpowers – but they’re made possible with quantum,” she said.
“There’s so much cool mystery and possibility surrounding the current and future work of quantum and dark matter, which is awesome to be a part of.
“I have a lot of excitement around physics and love sharing that excitement! It is seriously amazing to have the opportunity to change someone’s mind and awaken an interest they might have not otherwise considered,” she said.
See the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip website for more information.