Sarah Watzdorf

Ms Sarah Watzdorf

Grant-funded Researcher

School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology


I am a grant-funded researcher in the Portable Atomic Clocks group at the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS). I work as part of a large, diverse team to develop robust portable optical atomic clocks for precision timekeeping at sea. My research area is developing frequency combs and next-generation spectroscopy systems to generate timing signals that can be used in lieu of GPS.

My PhD was in solid-state lasers. I developed two Er:YAG based lasers for lidar applications. The first was a laser capable of use in the detection of methane leaks over natural gas pipelines from a light aircraft. The second was for use in the detection of radial wind speed for wind farms using coherent Doppler lidar.

I am also passionate about outreach. I have volunteered as part of the Optica Student Chapter and Australian Institute of Physics. Through Optica, I chaired the organisational committee for the 2022 KOALA conference, a student-lead conference on optics, atoms, and laser applications. I have also participated in outreach activities with AIP, which included showcasing physics to high school students and attending Science Alive.

  • Position: Grant-funded Researcher
  • Email: sarah.watzdorf@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: The Braggs, floor First Floor
  • Room: 1.82
  • Org Unit: Research Scholars (Positions)

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