Atomic Grant to boost the "research of everything"

At the basis of all things are interactions between particles on the atomic scale.

Thanks to a funding injection of over $1 million over the next five years to Professor Igor Bray of Murdoch University, a great deal more will be known about such interactions.

Professor Bray was awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant for his work on predicting how atoms interact with electrons, positrons, photons, and surfaces.

“Working out ways to accurately predict atomic collisions is important to fundamental sciences and many industries,” said Professor Bray.

“These collisions are happening every-where, in and around us, and there are global implications for this research.

” Professor Bray said benefits of an increasing understanding of atomic collisions included environmentally friendly lighting, better lasers, understanding of atmospheric and astrophysical evolution, and the possibility of using fusion as a new clean energy source.

His team works closely with a range of organisations including NASA, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the lighting multi-national Osram-Sylvania.

Professor Bray recently joined Murdoch University to work more closely with the renowned atomic physics group led by Professor Andris Stelbovics.