Warwick Bowen

Biography

Professor Bowen is recognised both nationally and internationally for research at the interface of nanotechnology and quantum science; including nanophotonics, nanomechanics, quantum optomechanics and photonic/quantum sensing. He leads the Quantum Optics Laboratory at UQ (www.physics.uq.edu.au/QOlab), is Director of the UQ Precision Sensing Initiative (www.smp.uq.edu.au/psi) and is both Program and Node Manager of the Australian Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems (www.equs.org). He is also an Australian Future Fellow. The research in Professor Bowen's lab spans from the very fundamental, eg how does quantum physics transition into our everyday world at large scales, to applied, eg developing next generation sensors for medical diagnostics and navigation. To pursue this research, the lab works in close partnership with industry and uses state-of-the-art facilities for nanofabrication, nanoanalysis, precision optical measurement and deep cryogenic refrigeration available in-house or on campus at UQ. His laboratory has made important contributions, including demonstrating that quantum techniques can enhance the performance of biological microscopes; developing a new class of state-of-the-art magnetometers that allow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be miniaturised to chip-scale with prospective applications in medical/chemical diagnostics, geological surveying and other areas; showing that laser cooling techniques can be applied to superfluid helium, an important medium for generation-after-next sensors in navigation; and reaching the quantum limit to performance in single molecule sensors. Professor Bowen has supervised more than 30 postgraduate students, who have been recognised with prizes such as Fulbright Scholarships, an Australian Youth Science Ambassadorship, a Springer PhD theses prize, the Queensland nomination for the Australian Institute of Physics Bragg Medal, the Australian Optical Society Postgraduate Student Prize, and UQ Graduate of the Year. He regularly has projects available, both for postgraduate students and for postdoctoral researchers. Please check his website, above, or contact him directly for details (w.bowen@uq.edu.au).

Research Interest

Photonics, quantum optics, and quantum opto-mechanics with integrated optical microresonators