The ANU Centre for Gravitational Astrophysics is pleased to announce its first Winter Research Program at its HQ at The Australian National University. 

The program runs over 5 weeks from 20 June until 22 July 2022 and best suits third-year and Honours 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 will receive travel and accommodation assistance. 

Projects on offer: 

• Measuring and nulling residual amplitude modulation noise for laser stability (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Modelling laser mirror substrates and their fundamental thermal noise (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Machine learning for phasemeter cycle slip detection (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Linearising phase sensors in intersatellite weak light interferometry (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Optimising a 'tilt-locking' technique for the GRACE-FO mission frequency band  (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Feasibility study of higher order Laguerre-Gauss modes for ultra-stable laser locking  (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Investigating thermal and acoustic isolation of optical phase modulators for ultra-stable laser control systems (Supervisors: A/Prof. Kirk McKenzie, Dr Andrew Wade)
• Improving distance estimates to type Ia supernovae (Supervisor: A/Prof. Chris Lidman)
• Internal squeezing in coupled cavity systems (Supervisors: Dr Terry McRae, Dr Jiayi Qin)
• Mirror Coatings for Next-Generation Gravitational-Wave Detectors  (Supervisors: Dr Terry McRae, Dr Johannes Eichholz)
• Two micron wavelength in future ground based gravitational wave detectors  (Supervisors: Dr Terry McRae, Dr Jiayi Qin)
• Designing High-throughput Correlators for Digital Interferometry  (Supervisor: Dr Paul Sibley)
• Modelling Metasurface-Interferometer Interactions for Sensing  (Supervisor: Dr Chathura Bandutunga)
• Observing long-lived gravitational waves from neutron stars with third-generation detectors (Supervisor: Dr Karl Wette)
• Optimising a Neutron Star Extreme Matter Observatory (Supervisor: Dr Lilli Sun)
• TorPeDO - Five-laser frequency range operating optimization  (Supervisor: Dr Sheon Chua)
• Seismic and environmental data extraction and monitoring  (Supervisor: Dr Bram Slagmolen)

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 14 June at 11:55pm and the successful applicants will be informed by 16 June. 

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

An information session for this program will be held at Physics Studio (bldg 38A) on Tuesday 14 June, 2022 at 12:00 noon, more information.