A world-leading Australian physicist who will do research at the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory has been awarded a research grant to investigate new models of dark matter.
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Dr Peter Cox's research has received $445,688 in Federal Government funding.
His research will improve our understanding of the fundamental properties of dark matter and how it interacts with ordinary matter.
Dark matter makes up 84 per cent of the matter in the universe, but its properties remain unknown.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the Government had provided $35 million to establish the Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics and a further $5 million towards building the underground laboratory at Stawell.
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"The discovery of dark matter will be one of the greatest achievements in science, helping to improve our understanding of the universe. Australia is leading the world in dark matter research," Mr Tehan said.
"The work undertaken by Dr Cox, and researchers in the Centre, will add to our knowledge, enhance Australia's research capability and help train a new generation of researchers."
Dr Cox, from the University of Melbourne, said that "understanding the nature of dark matter will lead to invaluable insights into the history and evolution of our universe.
"This research will develop new theoretical models of dark matter and explore new approaches for its detection," he said.
Dr Cox will collaborate closely with researchers in the Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics and at the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL).
His research will be used to guide future experiments at SUPL and to interpret their results.
The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory - being led by the Unversity of Melbourne's Professor Elizabetta Barberio - is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere, is specially-built deep underground to allow scientists to conduct cutting-edge research.
It will attract researchers from around the world to pursue new knowledge in dark matter.
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Juanita Greville
If you've got a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Email me at juanita.greville@austcommunitymedia.com.au
If you've got a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Email me at juanita.greville@austcommunitymedia.com.au
