Dr Sarah Watzdorf
Grant-Funded Researcher (A)
School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
College of Sciences
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.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 - 2025 | Project Manager | IPAS |
| 2023 - ongoing | Grant-funded researcher | IPAS |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Award | NMI Research Impact Award | National Measurement Institute | Australia | - |
| 2023 | Research Award | Excellence in Research Award | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2023 | Award | NMI People's Choice Award | The National Measurement Institute | Australia | - |
| 2022 | Award | Merry Wickes Transdisciplinary Prize | Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | The David Sutton Memorial Prize | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD in Sciences | |
| University of Adelaide | Australia | Bachelor of Science (Honours) | |
| University of Adelaide | Australia | Bachelor of Science (Laser Physics and Technology) |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Member | IPAS Science Network Committee | Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 - ongoing | Member | Australian Institute of Physics | Australia |