Graeme Flower

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
CDM & EQUS
University of Western Australia
Road-tripping Kalgoorlie to Perth (2022), around WA (2021)

What do you do?

There’s a new type of matter out there called dark matter that you can’t see and is really hard to detect. I work on trying to make it possible to see it in the lab, with new, more sensitive measurements, so we can learn more about it.

How did you get where you are today?

I’ve always really enjoyed science. I studied engineering and physics and then found an interesting-sounding vacation project working on a dark matter detection experiment at the uni, where I got to work with some cool people and equipment. I enjoyed it so much, I stayed.

What’s the best thing about your work?

I mostly work with experiments. I really enjoy how varied it is. I get to do a bit of theory, a bit of programming, a bit of designing work for the experiments, and work with some cool equipment. It’s also great getting to always learn new things.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying physics?

Keep up your curiosity and be willing to try new things. Even if they don’t work out, you’ll learn a lot along the way.

What do you enjoy doing besides physics?

Outside of physics I enjoy spending time with friends, going for walks in nearby national parks and playing board games.