PGRA

AINSE Postgraduate Orientation Week brings together the next generation of STEM researchers

Uncategorized /

AINSE was delighted to welcome our newest Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) scholars for the 2026 AINSE Postgraduate Orientation Week (O’Week), held alongside international celebrations of Nuclear Science Week. Bringing together current PGRA scholars, prospective AINSE scholars, researchers, industry representatives and guest speakers, the program provided participants with opportunities to develop their professional and science communication

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The Lower-Birrarung Billabongs: Uncovering a history of fires, floods, and fuel-loads to inform Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung led restoration of urban billabongs- Patrick Kennedy

2026 Research Spotlight, Archaeology and Geosciences, Research /

Identifying historical ecological baselines and understanding subsequent variability over appropriate timescales is vital for informing sustainable land-management and ecological restoration. The lower-Birrarung (Yarra River) billabongs, located in metropolitan Melbourne, are a series of lowland floodplain wetlands which have been culturally constructed and stewarded by Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung over millennia. Patrick Kennedy’s PhD, in collaboration with

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Advancing lung cancer diagnostics with phase-contrast X-ray imaging – Lucy Costello

2026 Research Spotlight, Biotechnology and Biomedical Science, Research /

Lung cancer in Australia Lung cancer is one of Australia’s biggest killers. It is the fourth-most commonly diagnosed cancer and has the highest mortality rate of any cancer. Early detection is crucial, but current diagnostic methods face significant limitations. Current imaging techniques The first step in lung cancer diagnostics is a chest X-ray, a two-dimensional

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A targeted approach to treating glioblastoma – Meaghan Ashton

2026 Research Spotlight, Biotechnology and Biomedical Science, Research /

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, prognosis remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for more precise and effective treatment strategies. Targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs) offer a promising new approach by delivering highly potent radiation directly to cancer cells while minimising

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Building the safety blueprint for future Moon missions

2025 Research Spotlight, Biotechnology and Biomedical Science, PGRA, Research /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith Have you ever wondered what the main risks of space travel are? Hollywood films like The Martian and Apollo 13 often portray the dramatic risks of space travel, such as mechanical failures, life support issues, and unpredictable space weather. However, as astronauts journey far from home, venturing into the cold, unforgiving vacuum

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How Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, could help us understand life’s origins.

2025 Research Spotlight, Materials Science and Engineering, PGRA, Research /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith In the quest to unravel one of life’s greatest mysteries—how it all began—scientists are looking beyond our planet, to the vastness of space, in search of the molecular seeds that might have sown life on Earth. One key stop on that journey is Titan—Saturn’s largest moon. For nearly two decades, NASA’s Cassini

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Thermo-electro-magnetic synergy: Unlocking next-gen thermoelectricity

2025 Research Spotlight, Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, PGRA, Research /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith Amidst the ongoing global energy crisis, industries such as power, manufacturing, and transportation are significant contributors to energy consumption. These sectors produce substantial amounts of unwanted heat as a byproduct, typically released into the environment through exhaust systems, heated surfaces, or cooling mechanisms. This thermal energy, often considered waste, represents a largely

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AINSE 2025 Gold Medal Ceremony and Networking Dinner

Environmental Science, Gold Medal, Materials Science and Engineering, Outreach, PGRA, Research /

On Tuesday 20th May 2025, our annual AINSE Networking Dinner was hosted at NSW Parliament House to bring together representatives from across the Australasian nuclear science and technology sector. As part of this event, AINSE Scholar Gold Medals for excellence and impact in research were formally awarded to: Read more about Rebecca’s and Hayden’s research successes below.

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Sustainably powering the digital age: Next-generation spintronic materials for a low-energy future

2025 Research Spotlight, Materials Science and Engineering, PGRA, Research /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith In today’s digital era, the rapid proliferation of online services and cloud computing has driven an unprecedented global demand for data centres. These facilities support the storage and distribution of vast data volumes, ranging from AI models to high-demand streaming content. Unfortunately, as our reliance on digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence accelerates,

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What Tasmania’s Pencil Pine teaches us about bushfire management.

2025 Research Spotlight, Archaeology and Geoscience, Archaeology and Geosciences, Environmental Science, PGRA /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith Anthropomorphic climate change is weakening the resilience of globally significant forests by altering their temperature and aridity. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is particularly at risk, with longer, more intense bushfire seasons threatening this sensitive ecosystem. Amid ongoing climatic stress and ecological decline, important questions are emerging around the ability of

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