UNSW Researchers in the know at Sciencenow
0th December
Two UNSW scientists, Dr Rob Brooks and Jeremy O'Brien, were among 16 young Australian researchers selected recently from across the country to take part in ScienceNOW. This national forum aims to enhance media coverage of Australian science; encourage debate on the role of science in Australian society; and provide role models for the next generation of Australian scientists.
Dr Brooks, a lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences, has studied guppies to answer the question: what makes a male attractive to females? "For most of us, mate choice is largely a matter of individual preference. Most studies of animal mating describe only what the majority prefer, and not whether individuals differ. In my research I've shown that individual guppies agree partially, yet differ considerably on what makes a male attractive. Much of this variation is genetic."
Jeremy O'Brien, a PhD student in the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, is involved in cutting-edge research: creating a computer so powerful that it calculates in seconds what today's supercomputer would take billions of years to do.
According to Mr O'Brien, building a quantum computer may stretch current technology to breaking point. "At the Centre I've worked on the fabrication of an array of single phosphorous atoms on a silicon surface. This is at the heart of the most promising way to build this amazing machine," he said.
Dr Brooks, a lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences, has studied guppies to answer the question: what makes a male attractive to females? "For most of us, mate choice is largely a matter of individual preference. Most studies of animal mating describe only what the majority prefer, and not whether individuals differ. In my research I've shown that individual guppies agree partially, yet differ considerably on what makes a male attractive. Much of this variation is genetic."
Jeremy O'Brien, a PhD student in the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, is involved in cutting-edge research: creating a computer so powerful that it calculates in seconds what today's supercomputer would take billions of years to do.
According to Mr O'Brien, building a quantum computer may stretch current technology to breaking point. "At the Centre I've worked on the fabrication of an array of single phosphorous atoms on a silicon surface. This is at the heart of the most promising way to build this amazing machine," he said.
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