CGA Summer Research Program 2026-2027

The ANU Centre for Gravitational Astrophysics hosts a Summer Research Program at its HQ at The Australian National University.

The program runs over 8 weeks from 14th December 2026 until 12th February 2027 and best suits third-year, Honours and Masters students in Physics, Astrophysics and Engineering, currently enrolled at all universities across the country.

The students will be supervised by our world-class academics, work closely with the Gravitational Wave Laboratory – where some of the most amazing recent research breakthroughs have been initiated – and interact with our bright HDR students.

There is a generous allowance of up to $750/week on offer, in addition, students currently enrolled at interstate universities can apply for travel and accommodation assistance.

Projects on offer

Distributed Controls for Laser Stabilisation
(Dr Chathura Bandutunga, Prof. Robert Ward)

Lasers are a useful tool for metrology due to their stable oscillation frequency. If we want to make measurements more precise, this frequency needs to be further stabilised. This project aims to explore the idea of using multiple lasers to synthesise an average frequency estimate which in turn can be used to stablise all the contributing lasers together. The project will aim to model the system and develop a consenus controller which is able to take multiple frequency measurements and synthesize a control signal to stabilise each participating laser.

Optical quadrant sensing for seismic inertia readout
(Mr Lane Scheel, Dr Shreevathsa Chalathadka Subrahmanya, A/Prof Bram Slagmolen, Dr. Sheon Chua)

The Torsion Pendulum Dual Oscillator (TorPeDO) needs a seismically-quiet suspension isolation system. This project is to develop an optical sensor to readout a flexure-based seismic inertia monitor, based on a quadrant-photodetector displacement technique. During the project, the student will develop skills in optics, mechanical and control systems.

Exploring interferometer configurations for Gravitational Wave Detection
(Prof. Robert Ward, Dr Terry McRae, Dr Sheon Chua)

Finesse is a sophisticated optical interferometry modelling tool. Recently it has been upgraded to handle nonlinear optics. We will start with a preliminary interferometer configuration to test basic ideas and then move on to explore some very recent quantum enhancement schemes related to the next generation of gravitational wave detectors. If time permits some parts of the simpler models may be built.

Modelling Neutron Stars in Full General Relativity
(Dist. Prof. Susan Scott and Dr. Karl Wette)

Neutron stars are among the most extreme objects in the universe. Physically motivated models are needed to fully understand them. These models need to incorporate the effects of curved spacetime (as given by Einstein's general relativity), extremely dense matter, and strong magnetic fields. The latter of these, however, is not consistently included in astrophysical modelling. This project will develop a model for neutron stars in full general relativity, and include the effects of a strong magnetic field. Outcomes include model predictions for the generation of gravitational waves from rapidly-rotating neutron stars.

Advanced modulation techniques for next generation laser stabilisation systems
(Dr Andrew Wade, Dr. Emily Rose-Rees)

Laser frequency stabilisation is a foundational technology in laser-based instrumentation. Stable lasers are essential for satellite-based measurements of icecap melt and for next generation optical atomic clocks. In this project you will build and analyse the performance of a multi-frequency variant of the Pound-Drever-Hall locking technique. You will test new laser stabilisation approaches on a state-of-the-art optical cavity test bed built to test space-based laser calibration hardware. 

Cavity free spectral range readout for gravitational wave detector locking
(Dr Andrew Wade, Dr. Emily Rose-Rees)

Gravitational-wave detectors such as LIGO are compound optical interferometers whose control systems must hold multiple coupled cavities simultaneously on resonance. Acquiring this lock requires an auxiliary system, the Arm Length Stabilisation (ALS) system. In current detectors, frequency-doubled 532 nm lasers are injected through the end test masses (mirrors) into the arm cavities to sense and pre-stabilise the arm lengths before control is handed over to the main interferometer control system. This approach will not carry over to future detectors that move to longer wavelengths (~1.5–2 µm) for use with cryogenic silicon test masses, because the frequency-doubled light is absorbed by silicon. In this project you will test a new ALS concept in which the arm cavity length is stabilised to an external RF reference using a free-spectral-range (FSR) readout technique developed for the laser scale-factor calibration unit on the GRACE-C mission. You will use phase modulation from a spectrally pure RF source to control the length of a test optical cavity via its cavity mode spacing and then demonstrate active length locking and control system handoff.

To apply

1. fill out the registration form via this link,
2. send your CV and your most recent academic transcript to cga@anu.edu.au.  

Applications close on 1st November at 11:55pm. Successful applicants will be informed in late November.

For further information, please contact cga@anu.edu.au.

Location

CGA HQ at building 38, Science Road, Acton 2601