Join us for an engaging public lecture by Professor Matthew Bailes, one of Australia’s most renowned astrophysicists and a true pioneer in the field of pulsars, fast radio bursts and gravitational waves. Recently awarded the 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science and the prestigious Shaw Prize, Matthew has dedicated his career to unraveling the mysteries of the Universe.
📅 Date: Thursday, 3 April 2025
⏰ Time:
- Networking & Outreach Workshop: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM (Drinks provided)
- Public Lecture: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
📍 Venue [in person]: AMDC301, Swinburne University (In-person event, recording will be made available)
🎙️ The Role of Serendipity in Scientific Discovery
In this lecture, Matthew will explore the fascinating role of serendipity in scientific discovery, sharing personal stories and insights from his groundbreaking research. From accidental observations to unexpected breakthroughs, he will reveal how chance events often shape the trajectory of science and lead to some of its greatest achievements.
Whether you’re a science enthusiast or just curious about the forces that drive innovation, this is an opportunity to hear from one of the brightest minds in astrophysics.
Be inspired by the discoveries that shape our understanding of the cosmos—and the surprising paths that lead to them.
Networking & Outreach Workshops | AMDC Sky Lounge
Before the lecture, join us for an hour of networking over drinks and exciting hands-on outreach activities!
⏰ Time: 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
📍 Location: AMDC Sky Lounge
Activities:
- Virtual Reality: Come explore the cosmos in virtual reality! Our scientists will take you on a guided tour of the universe, from our solar system to the most exotic objects in space, such as neutron stars and black holes.
- Badge Making: What is your favourite thing in space? Create a badge of your own design or use one of our designs to create your own unique badge to take home with you to remember this event!
- Activity Sheets: What happens when the coolest things in space meet your favourite puzzles? Space activity sheets! Come collect some activity and colouring sheets with mazes, word searches, and crosswords... all inspired by stuff in space!
- Tabletop Interferometer: How do scientists detect ripples in the fabric of space-time as they pass through the Earth? Lasers, of course! Join our scientists as they demo a working laser interferometer and share how we use large versions of them to find gravitational waves!
Acknowledgement & Understanding
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Code of Conduct can be found here: https://www.ozgrav.org/code-of-conduct/
If you have any questions, please email ozgrav@swin.edu.au
