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

The program runs over 6 weeks from 10 June until 18 July 2025 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 $500/week on offer, in addition, students currently enrolled at interstate universities can apply for travel and accommodation assistance.

Projects on offer

Phase Detection of High-Q metasurface resonances 
(Dr Chathura Bandutunga)

The use of functionalised meta-surfaces opens an avenue for flexible, targeted, and accurate sensing of chemical and biological markers. These surfaces can be engineered to respond to the presence of specific molecular or biological signatures – resulting in a change in their optical absorption and dispersion profiles. To improve the detection of changes in a metasurface's optical properties, we can utilize techniques and methods from precision optical interferometry. This project will use a two-wavelength optical system to interferometrically measure the phase response of a sample meta-surface. 

Stabilisation to an optical frequency comb 
(Dr Chathura Bandutunga and Ms Emily Rose Rees)

Optical frequency combs are precision optical synthesisers, enabling the transfer of frequency information from a high-stability reference to the optical domain. This project would focus on the build-up of a system to measure frequency against an optical frequency comb, enabling frequency stability transfer across multiple wavelengths. There is opportunity for development of a laser stabilisation control system, and practical lab skills including working with optical fibre, lasers, electronics, and control systems.

Comparing of spectroscopic frequency references 
(Dr Chathura Bandutunga and Ms Emily Rose Rees)

Spectroscopy studies the absorption and emission of light as a result of interactions with matter. Spectroscopic techniques can be used to stabilise the frequency of a laser to particular energy transitions in atoms or molecules. This project would use a commercial interferometer to measure and compare up to two spectroscopic frequency references. This project would involve working with optics, including design and alignment of an packaged and portable optical system, and measurement and comparison of frequency references.

Using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer as an optical feedback device 
(A/Prof. Bram Slagmolen and Dr Sheon Chua)

The torsion pendulum dual oscillator (a.k.a TorPeDO) sensor is mounted on a multi-stage suspension isolation platform for reducing the impacts of direct local environment effects on the system. The suspension chain has resonance peaks, which we aim to reduce via optical feedback using Mach-Zehnder interferometers. This experimental optics project will build a prototype benchtop Mach-Zehnder interferometer and develop the optical feedback strategy, giving experience in lasers, optics, optical measurement and basic feedback controls.

Interferometric Sensing for Inertia Sensors 
(A/Prof. Bram Slagmolen and Dr Sheon Chua)

This project is to develop and investigate an interferometric sensor to readout and sense the motion of a flexure based inertia sensor. We will use a simple Michelson interferometer and analyses its characteristic to create a low noise, large dynamic range readout. One way this can be achieved is to slightly misalign one of the Michelson arms, which would create a TEM01 mode. Together with the standard Michelson fringe, we can track and reconstruct a large dynamic range (many wavelengths) displacement sensor. This experimental optics project will give experience in lasers, optics and displacement sensing.

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 26 May at 11:55pm. Successful applicants will be informed in early June.

An information session will be held on Thursday 22 May.

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