Professor Tanya Monro

Biography/ Background

Professor Monro is an ARC Federation Fellow and is the Director of the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS). She is also a Professor of Physics within the School of Chemistry & Physics (CoEP) at the University of Adelaide.

Professor Monro came to the University of Adelaide in early 2005 as the inaugural Chair of Photonics and the Director of the DSTO Centre of Expertise in Photonics. From 1998 - 2004 Tanya worked within the ORC at the University of Southampton in the UK. Tanya Monro has published over 450 papers in journals and refereed conference proceedings.

The vision of IPAS is to bring together researchers in physics, chemistry and biology to pursue a transdisciplinary approach to science for applications in defence, preventative health, environmental monitoring and food and wine.

In late 2008, IPAS was awarded $29M from the Australian Federal Government HEEF (EIF) scheme towards the construction of a new building, The Braggs, to serve as the IPAS HQ on the University of Adelaide's North Terrace Campus. This project also has support from the South Australian State Government and DSTO. The Braggs opened in March 2013.

Tanya is a fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering. She is Vice President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, a member of the South Australian Premier’s Science and Industry Council, and regularly serves on a range of committees for the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Research Counil (ARC) and other key national bodies in the area of science policy and the evaluation of science.

Qualifications

PhD in Physics, University of Sydney, 1998

BSc (Hons, 1st class) in Physics, University of Sydney, 1995

Awards & Achievements

2012      Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science

2012      Nova Systems Community Achievement Award, South Australia

2011      Scopus Young Researcher of the Year, Physical Sciences, Australia

2011      Eureka Prize for Science Leadership, Finalist

2011      Selected by the Australian Academy of Science to conduct a speaker series in the European region

2011      Australian of the Year, South Australia

2010      Telstra Business Woman of the Year, White Pages Community & Government Category (National & South Australian winner)

2010      Winner, Science category, South Australian of the Year Awards

2010      South Australian Scientist of the Year

2010      Finalist, Eureka Prize for Science Leadership

2009      Fellow, Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering, ATSE (FTSE)

2009     Winner, Science Category, Emerging Leaders Award (by Weekend Australian Magazine)

2008–13 ARC Federation Fellowship

2008      Prime Minister’s Malcolm McIntosh Prize - Physical Scientist of the Year

2007-8  Australian Institute of Physics Women’s Lecture Tour

2007      Rising Star Award, South Australia’s “Top 50” across all fields under 35

2007      Finalist, South Australian Scientist of the Year

2006      Cosmos magazine Bright Spark Award, Australia’s “top 10 scientific minds” under 45

2000      Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UK)

1998      Bragg Gold Medal, Best physics PhD thesis in Australia

Publications

Professional Associations

Bragg Fellow, RI Aus (Royal Institution Australia)

Fellow (Youngest Fellow in Australia at present), ATSE

Fellow, AIP (FAIP)

Member, IEEE

Member, OSA

Member, AOS

Entry last updated: Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013