Keynote Speakers

We are pleased to announce the following speakers for NZIP 2025. Check back regularly for further updates.

Prof. Nicole Bell

The University of Melbourne

Professor Nicole Bell is a theoretical physicist at the University of Melbourne. Her research lies at the interface of particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, with particular focus on dark matter and neutrino physics. She leads the Theory Program of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics, and was a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the Terascale. Prof Bell is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and was awarded the 2020 Nancy Millis Medal by the Australian Academy of Science. She is the Immediate Past President of the Australian Institute of Physics.

Prof. Andrew Doherty

The University of Sydney

Professor Doherty is recognised internationally for his innovative contributions to theoretical physics. He is one of the pioneers of the field of quantum control and has made seminal contributions to quantum information theory. In quantum control, he was the first to apply ideas from classical control which is ubiquitous from aircraft to precision measurement to the science of quantum systems. This work was a very early forerunner of the current experimental and theoretical programs in the control of quantum systems. Professor Doherty's work emphasised that adaptability and feedback would be essential to any quantum technology and was ahead of its time in emphasising the need to begin engineering quantum systems. Professor Doherty is well known for his extensive collaborations with experimentalists in wide range of systems from quantum optics, including cavity QED and optomechanical systems, to condensed matter, including circuit QED and semiconductor quantum dots.

Prof. Manjula Sharma

The University of Sydney

Professor Manjula Sharma is originally from Fiji and a graduate from the University of the South Pacific. She is a leading science educator and she has deeply engaged in school and university curriculum matters for several decades. Manjula is currently Director of the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy at The University of Sydney, prior to which she led the Sydney University Physics Education Research (SUPER) group. Her research is grounded in educational instrumentation and measurement in the areas of multimedia, inquiry based approaches and engaging teachers and students in investigative work. She has over 100 peer reviewed papers in international journals and has supervised outstanding PhD candidates, including Dr Derek Muller creator of YouTube channel Veritasium. She has led the Government funded project, Advancing Science and Engineering through Laboratory Learning, ASELL Schools and has been Chief Examiner for NSW HSC Physics. She is serving as Chair of IUPAP Commission C14 on Physics Education. Professor Sharma co-founded the premier Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (ACSME) and the International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education (IJISME). Her awards include the 2012 Australian Institute for Physics Education Medal, 2013 OLT National Teaching Fellowship and she is a Principal Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics and Honorary Fellow of the Teacher’s Guild of New South Wales, Australia.

Invited Speakers

Dr. Craig Chisholm

OpenStar Technologies

Dr. Craig Chisholm obtained his MSc from the University of Otago working in the field of ultracold atoms before moving to Barcelona, Spain to complete a PhD at the Technical University of Catalonia and the Institute of Photonic Sciences employing ultracold atoms for quantum simulation of exotic states of matter. His work has been published in international journals including Nature and his thesis was recognised with an exceptional experimental doctoral thesis award. He has now returned to New Zealand to work on yet another state of matter as an experimental plasma physicist at OpenStar Technologies where he is responsible for machine operations and instrumentation of plasma diagnostics on OpenStar’s first levitated dipole experiment, “Junior”.

Dr. Daniel Mac Manus

University of Otago

Doctor Daniel Mac Manus is a Space Physicist at the University of Otago. His work focuses on Research to Operations (R20) hazard research to understanding the risk to the New Zealand power industry from extreme space weather events. He has worked closely with Transpower New Zealand Limited (TPNZ) who are responsible for electric power transmission in New Zealand. He has created a validated model to simulate how critical equipment in the New Zealand power grid are impacted during extreme geomagnetic storm. Building upon this, he has developed a mitigation plan to protect New Zealand’s power grid transformers which is now the official response plan in Transpower’s control room. This has created a relationship of trust with the New Zealand electricity industry such that his calculations and advice help plan New Zealand’s space weather hazard response. It was applied for the first time during the May 2024 “great geomagnetic storm”. Daniel has had several peer reviewed papers in international journals and has presented his work at several international conferences around the world.