EOS establishes professorial chair in laser physics at University of South Australia

Electro Optic Systems (EOS) announced it has created an EOS Professorial Chair in Laser Physics at the University of South Australia (UniSA). The Chair will create two postdoctoral positions and establish a world leading research and teaching group in areas closely aligned to core EOS capabilities in space domain awareness used to track, classify and characterise objects in space. UniSA Professor David Lancaster was announced as the Chair at an event held Tuesday (14 September) at UniSA’s museum of discovery (MOD), hosted by UniSA Director Defence and Space Matt Opie and attended by South Australian Premier Steven Marshall. The new UniSA Chair joins another permanent Chair that EOS established last year at the University of Queensland in the areas of Microwave and Photonic Engineering and Applied Electromagnetics. Dr Ben Greene, Group CEO of EOS said, “This establishment of the EOS Chair in Laser Physics is the next step in a long-term program of EOS engagement with leading Australian universities, to foster collaborations between industry and the tertiary sector in this country. We are very pleased to be engaged with the University of South Australia to help build on the excellence in laser physics that the university has grown over the last 20 years. The University is well known for its contribution to advanced technology industry areas such as communications, computing and quantum technologies and we’re happy to build on that through this partnership.” UniSA Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington said, “We’re delighted to be partnering with EOS to contribute to a sovereign capability. This is a fantastic opportunity to partner with the biggest Australian-owned defence company to work on technology that has application and need in Australia.” EOS Professorial Chair in Laser Physics Professor David Lancaster said: “I’m very honoured to be taking up this position. Laser physics is of critical strategic importance for Australia. Doing research in collaboration with industry is something I’ve been advocating for a long time. It really adds an edge to my research.” EOS has contributed significantly to STEM academia directly funding $20 million in Commonwealth-sponsored research over the past five years and continues to invest in STEM initiatives, recently partnering with the Andy Thomas Space Foundation to establish the EOS Space Systems Research Awards (for post-graduate research in advanced satellite engineering and communications topics) and creating its EOS Scholarships for Future Excellence in STEM in partnership with the One Giant Leap Australia Foundation, available to high school students, students in tertiary education and recent graduates with a recognised passion or talent for STEM. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]