CGA Winter Research Program

5 June 2022

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.