Biophysicist
Life On the Job:
Professor Graham Farquhar - Biophysicist
Cameo
Biophysicist
Manager
Petrophysicist
Related Jobs or Working
with these Jobs
Physicists study the nature of all matter and energy, including structures,
behaviour, formation/generation and the
interactions between the two. Physics can broadly be divided into
theoretical physics and experimental physics. Theoretical physics involves
developing models, or
theories, which attempt to explain and predict how and
why certain aspects of the world work and behave. Experimental physics
involves testing these theories, determining their limits and using the
results to amend or strengthen the theory as appropriate. All physicists
will generally work in both of these areas to some degree. Physicists
working at universities will also be required to spend time teaching
students.
ANZSCO ID & Description:
234914: Studies matter, space, time, energy,
forces and fields and the interrelationship between these physical phenomena
to further understanding of the laws governing the behaviour of the
universe, and seeks to apply these laws to solve practical problems and
discover new information about the earth and the universe.
Alternative names: Physical Scientist
Specialisations:
-
Astronomer
[separate page],
-
Astrophysicist
[separate page],
-
Biophysicist
[see below],
-
Condensed Matter Physicist,
-
Health Physicist,
-
Medical Physicist,
-
Nanotechnologist,
-
Nuclear Physicist,
-
Optical Physicist,
-
Petrophysicist
[see below],
-
Quantum Physicist
(Life on the Job: Michelle Simmons)
(Source:
Curiosity)
Knowledge, skills and attributes
A physicist needs:
-
the ability to make accurate and detailed
observations
-
a methodical and analytical approach to work
-
strong communication skills
-
the ability to think clearly and logically
-
good problem solving skills
-
patience
Did You Know?
Aussie physicist helps build ‘time machine’ to visit Big Bang
Vanessa Croll
The Daily Telegraph
May 5, 2020
Reprinted in "Perth
Now"
Dr Sarah Pearce
Pioneering and internationally recognised physicist and 2020 Telstra
NSW Business Woman of the Year Dr. Sarah Pearce is helping to build
a new generation radio telescope to discover galactic secrets.
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) – a new generation in radio
telescope – will look back in time some 13 billion years to see the
beginning of the universe.
With one site in Australia and one in South Africa, CSIRO Astronomy
and Space Science deputy director Sarah Pearce hopes the SKA will
help answer some of life’s biggest questions.
“SKA in Australia will look back in time toward not long after the
Big Bang and hopefully, for the first time we will see when the very
first galaxy started to shine, this is called the Cosmic Dawn
Period,” Dr Pearce said.
“That helps you understand how galaxies are born, how they evolve
and how they eventually die. There isn’t a telescope that has been
able to take images of this yet.”
Dr Pearce – a pioneering and internationally recognised physicist
and 2020 Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year – has been working
with international cohorts on this project for nine years.
“It’s important we understand where we came from and where we’re
going,” she said. “People are fascinated by the stars and the Big
Bang and our wider purpose in the universe.
“But this kind of research can have practical implications. The
Wi-Fi we use was created with some of the algorithms used first by
the CSIRO when they were trying to look at black holes.
“The SKA has enormous data rates and it will produce petabytes of
data. How we learn to deal with that will help us learn how to deal
with storing data in both science fields and industry.”
An artist’s impression of the future
Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in Australia.
The radio telescope to be built in Australia is called SKA-low and
will be made up of 130,000 radio antenna that will look like 2m-high
metal Christmas trees spread over 65km of desert in Western
Australia. It will start conducting science observations mid-2020s
with a partial array.
“The reason we’re in the desert in WA is because what we are looking
for are extremely faint whispers,” Dr Pearce said.
“You can’t find them if you’re near a lot of people using phones,
microwaves, radios.”
Telstra Business Women’s Awards ambassador Alex Badenoch said while
Dr Pearce was the group’s 2020 NSW Business Woman, she was also
awarded the Public Sector and Academia Award.
“We commend [Dr] Pearce for her innovative space programs that have
significant global impact,” Ms Badenoch said. She is committed to
collaboration, and instead of being out to win, she is dedicated to
ensuring she and her team produce the best work possible.”
(Source:
Perth Now) |
Duties and Tasks
Physicists are usually identified within three broad roles:
-
theoretical physicists, who develop
theories or models of how particular aspects of the world work
-
experimental physicists, who test these
theories, determining their limits and suggesting new approaches to them
-
applied physicists, who apply these
findings in practical settings, such as within industry and through the
introduction of new technology.
There is interaction between all three roles and physicists generally have
skills in each of these areas.
Physicists may perform the following tasks:
-
observe and measure phenomena in the physical
world, from the smallest subatomic particle through to the universe as a
whole
-
propose theories and models to explain phenomena
-
use computers to explore the consequences of
theories and models
-
build equipment to make new types of
measurements, which in many cases have never been attempted before
-
create new ways of understanding observations
that have been made
-
develop new materials, products and processes for
use in industry, medicine, defence and other areas of research and
development
Working Conditions
Physicists usually work in laboratories, offices or workshops, though some
may also carry out fieldwork in various environments, depending on the
nature of their research. Many physicists work in universities, where they
split their time between teaching and research work, however there are also
opportunities to work in government organisations or private industry. They
may work with radioactive substances and other restricted and/or potentially
harmful materials, which require strict safety and control procedures to be
followed to minimise danger. Physicists usually work standard business
hours, however overtime or weekend work may be required when setting up and
carrying out experiments or when conducting fieldwork.
Tools and technologies
Physicists use a variety of highly specialised instruments and laboratory
equipment to conduct, record and analyse experiments. Depending on the
nature of the experiment, this equipment may be used to heat or cool
materials to extreme temperatures, generate and measure electrical currents,
examine the atomic structure of matter, and carry out many other highly
technical and specialised tasks. They must also be familiar with computers
to control equipment, run simulations and to write reports based on their
findings.
Educational Requirements
To become a physicist you usually need to study a degree in science with
major in physics or nanotechnology. To improve your employment prospects,
you may need to complete further postgraduate study.
Did You Know?
There have been two Australians who have been awarded a Nobel Prize
for Physics:
2011 Brian P. Schmidt
"for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the
Universe through observations of distant supernovae"
1964 Alexander M. Prokhorov
[born in Australia but went back to Russia with his parents
when he was 7]
"for fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics, which has
led to the construction of oscillators and amplifiers based on the
maser-laser principle" shared with Charles H. Townes and Nicolay G.
Basov.
(Source:
Wikipedia)
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