“Exploring major discoveries and theories
in physics, mathematics, biology,  and chemistry”

Professor Dane McCamey, UNSW Sydney
Dr Eliza Middleton, University of Sydney
Professor Noushin Nasiri, Macquarie University
Professor James Brown, University of Technology Sydney

A joint meeting of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP),  the Teachers’ Guild of NSW (TGNSW),  the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), and the Royal Society of NSW.   

The Frontiers of Science Forum is proudly supported by the Laboratories Credit Union. 

Date: Friday, 6 March 2026, 5.00 pm for 6.00–9.30 pm AEDT
Venue: Concord Golf Club, 190 Majors Bay Road, Concord (free onsite parking is available)
Entry: $30 (includes light refreshments from 5.00 pm)
Enquiries: TGNSW Secretariat Phone: 0418 318 418
Program flyer: Available from the TGNSW website
Registration: Registration is required by Thursday, 5 March 2026
All are welcome

Please register now

Ever since the Copernican revolution in the 15th century, science has been progressing at an exponential rate. Major discoveries and theories in physics, mathematics, biology and chemistry, have shaped and continue to grow at an exponential rate. The Frontiers of Science forum will have a group of international experts to give brief talks on the latest and future developments in their fields of knowledge.

Schedule
5.00 pm:  Registration and refreshments
6.00 pm: Welcome by Dr Frederick Osman FRSN FAIP FACE
6.15 pm: Presentations (25 minutes each)
8.35 pm: Panel Discussion and Q/A with Ian Woolf (Diffusion Radio)
9.30 pm: Vote of Thanks and Close

Professor Dane McCamey, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), UNSW Sydney
Molecular Quantum Technologies: Foundations and Applications
Molecules offer a powerful and highly tunable platform for quantum technology, combining well-defined quantum states with the chemical flexibility to engineer function at the atomic scale. This talk introduces the physical foundations of molecular quantum technologies, focusing on how quantum coherence, spin states and controlled interactions arise in molecular systems. Beginning with the quantum physics of individual molecules, the talk explains how chemical design can be used to control quantum properties relevant to technology. It then explores emerging applications, including molecular qubits for quantum information processing and storage, ultra-sensitive molecular quantum sensors, and hybrid systems that link molecules to solid-state and photonic devices such as photovoltaics. The talk also addresses the challenges of translating molecular quantum systems from
laboratory demonstrations to scalable technologies, highlighting the role of synthesis, advanced spectroscopy, low-temperature measurement and interdisciplinary collaboration between physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering in shaping this rapidly developing field.

Dr Eliza Middleton, Aola Richards Sydney Insect Hub, University of Sydney
Science in the Spaces Between Disciplines
The frontiers of science are no longer defined solely by new discoveries, but by how knowledge connects across disciplines and informs decisions in an increasingly complex world. The talk explores the shift from disciplinary science toward systems-based approaches that integrate data, theory, and observation across scales. It considers how ecological processes underpin human systems such as food production, health, cities, and economic stability, and how disruptions to these processes can lead to cascading and irreversible consequences. Together, these perspectives highlight a central feature of modern science: understanding not only how the world works, but how scientific knowledge is connected and applied in a complex and interdependent world.

Professor Noushin Nasiri, Head of the NanoTech Laboratory, Macquarie University
How the Smallest Things Are Making the Biggest Difference
Many of today’s most important technological advances are happening at the nanoscale, where materials behave very differently from those we see in everyday life. At this scale, changing the size, shape, or structure of a material can dramatically alter how it conducts electricity, interacts with chemicals, or responds to light, pressure, and heat. This talk explains how scientists and engineers design nanomaterials and sensors to detect tiny signals and convert them into useful information. Using examples from health monitoring, environmental sensing, and sustainable technologies, we show how principles from chemistry, physics, and engineering work together to enable early detection, real-time monitoring, and smarter decision-making. The talk connects fundamental concepts taught in school science to cutting-edge research and industry applications and highlights how understanding matter at its smallest scales is driving some of the biggest technological breakthroughs of our time.

Professor James Brown, Head, Discipline of Mathematical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
Population Statistics – a future beyond traditional census
Australia continues to conduct a five-yearly population census to enumerate the entire population, providing the bedrock of official population and housing statistics in terms of social and economic characteristics for local communities. But official statistics are facing a data revolution with the expansion of alternative data sources that go beyond traditional direct collections. These include, but are not limited to, government administrative data from individuals’ interactions with services such as health, benefits, and education, as well as information on wages and taxes. In this talk, we explore how these alternative data sources are already impacting the census model through enhancing fieldwork operations, providing additional data items, and enriching processes to adjust for non-response. We then consider their potential to replace a full enumeration census in the future, exploring a variety of alternative structures.

About the presenters

Dane McCamey is Professor of Physics and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at UNSW Sydney. An experimentalist with a research background in condensed-matter and solid-state quantum physics, his scientific work has focused on electron and nuclear spin physics in semiconductor and nanoscale systems, including spin-dependent transport, hyperfine interactions, low-temperature spectroscopy, and precision device-level measurements relevant to quantum coherence and control. His research has contributed to the understanding of spin dynamics in solid-state platforms underpinning emerging technologies, including sensing and energy generation. Dane has worked extensively at the interface of physics, materials science and engineering, and has been closely involved in the establishment and leadership of major research initiatives. His work also underpins Ubiqut Pty Ltd, a quantum sensing startup. Alongside his scientific career, Dane holds senior research leadership roles shaping large-scale research strategy, infrastructure investment and national research priorities. In recognition of his scientific contributions, he was awarded the 2025 Barry Inglis Medal by the National Measurement Institute.

Dr Eliza Middleton is an ecological scientist whose work focuses on biodiversity, living systems, and the translation of scientific knowledge into decision-making contexts. Her research and applied work span ecology, systems science, natural capital, and environmental risk, with a particular interest in how complex biological processes underpin human societies, economies, and wellbeing. Eliza has worked across research, policy, industry, and science communication, bringing interdisciplinary perspectives to questions of environmental change, resilience, and sustainability. She has extensive experience communicating science to diverse audiences and supporting the integration of ecological knowledge into planning, management, and education. Her work emphasises the importance of systems thinking, uncertainty, and long-term perspectives in understanding and responding to contemporary scientific challenges.

Professor Noushin Nasiri is a materials scientist and engineer at Macquarie University, where she leads the NanoTech Laboratory. Her research focuses on smart nanomaterials and nanosensors for applications in health diagnostics, environmental monitoring, agriculture, and sustainable technologies, with a strong emphasis on translating fundamental science into real-world impact. Her work has been recognised through some of Australia’s most prestigious science and engineering honours, including the 2025 Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology, the 2025 Engineers Australia Professional Engineer of the Year (Sydney), and the 2025 David and Valerie Solomon Award from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE). Professor Nasiri is an ARC Industry Fellow (2026–2028) and holds senior leadership roles as Deputy Director of the ARC ITRH for Intelligent Contaminant-Sensing in Complex Environments (IC-SensE, 2026–2030) and Chief Investigator and Co-Theme Lead in the ARC ITRH for Molecular Biosensors at Point-of-Use (MOBIUS, 2025–2029). She also serves as the Global Chair of IEEE Women in Nanotechnology, promoting equity and leadership in STEM worldwide.

James Brown OBE is Professor of Official Statistics and Head of Mathematical Sciences Discipline at the University of Technology Sydney. He has nearly 30 years of experience collaborating with national statistical agencies, particularly in measuring population census coverage and adjusting census outputs for coverage errors. His work has included collaborations on the UK censuses for 2001 and 2011, Scotland’s census for 2022, and New Zealand’s census for 2018 and 2023. He is the current chair of National Records Scotland’s Methods Steering Group for census, a member of ABS Methodology Advisory Committee, a member of ATO’s Tax Gap Panel, and working with the Office for National Statistics (UK) on its transformed labour force survey program. More widely, he collaborates across disciplines, including his work with Health+Law on the first legal needs survey for those living with HIV and hepatitis B.

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