Firstly, let me say that it is a pleasure to be here once again to
present the award. Before doing so I thought to tell you about
some of the exciting research that is going on in the physical
sciences, not only at Murdoch, but the state generally.
Most of you have heard of the Silicon Valley, an area around San
Francisco, California, which is the birth place of the modern
computer. Well, we are hoping to replicate this, on an even
bigger scale, right here in
Perth. The four WA public universities have a proposal before
the WA government to create "The electron-Science
valley". This is about creating new technologies for the 21st
century based on advances in the various nano-sciences.
Some examples include:
-
Computers based on
biological molecules, you don't manufacture them you grow
them!
- Nano-engineered energy systems to transform our economy
from being oil-reliant to one based on hydrogen, a clean and renewable
energy source.
- Intelligent wearable micro-sensors that track
the health of patients remotely.
and there are many more.
Edith Cowan
will provide the expertise in microelectronics. UWA and Curtin
will
contribute expertise in nano-chemistry, and ourselves at Murdoch will
underpin the entire operation with our world-leading expertise
in the physics of atomic interactions. Additionally, we have
dozens of international universities such as Cambridge in
the UK committed to the project, as well as multimillion
dollar commitments from a number of high-tech companies
such as SGI, the makers of high-performance supercomputers.
Our proposal is one of
ten before the government, but if successful will create
thousands of high-tech jobs for young people like yourselves in
the years to come. The outcome should be known in a month or two.
Now, this prize, for the best year-eleven physics student, was initiated by
the physicists at Murdoch to encourage you
to consider further study in physics and the nano sciences, necessary
if you want to be a
part of the technological revolution. To entice you
further our best starting
students are offered tax-free $4,000 scholarships.
It gives me great pleasure to award the prize, which
is Stephen Hawking's book The Universe in a Nutshell, to the
best year-eleven physics student of 2003, ...
mailto: Igor Bray
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Last modified: Tue Feb 17 11:07:08 WST 2004