Accelerator Science Education

To achieve ACAS’s aims, universities will be encouraged and supported to increase the courses on accelerator physics that are available to students. ACAS will sponsor and coordinate dedicated accelerator schools during non-teaching periods at universities to supplement the more general aspects of accelerators covered in existing course work. In the future, the aim is to offer a Masters of Accelerator Science that will form the basis of a career at one of the national accelerator facilities, hospitals or in industry.

The main contributors to the teaching of accelerator science are the physics departments at the following universities:

  • The University of Melbourne, Experimental Particle Physics Group
  • The University of Sydney, High Energy Physics Group
  • The Australian National University, Department of Nuclear Physics
  • Monash University, School of Physics, and
  • University of Wollongong, Centre for Medical Radiation Physics.

In addition, through international collaborations there is access to overseas teaching at the following schools held several times each year on selected topics:

  • US Particle Accelerator Schools, and
  • CERN Accelerator Schools and Summer Studentships.

This is not an exhaustive list of teaching opportunities and the list will expand as the synchrotron science and other accelerator based communities grow around the nation.

Each of the ACAS members currently run a number of education and training programs for students. Programs run by each organisation include:

  • ANSTO

◦Runs accelerator science schools in conjunction with Melbourne University and the Australian Synchrotron
◦Supervises post-graduate students
◦Provides lectures for under graduate programs at various universities across Australia.

  • ANU

◦Offers a Masters of Nuclear Science course
◦Provides nuclear physics courses for undergraduate students
◦Runs a summer scholar program for Australian and New Zealand students.

  • Australian Synchrotron

◦Runs accelerator science schools
◦Manages under-graduate laboratory projects
◦Supervises PHD, masters and under-graduate students
◦Facilitates attendance at CERN summer schools.

  • Melbourne University

◦Runs accelerator science schools
◦Offers a high school outreach program
◦Holds university open days
◦Provides a PHD student program
◦Runs under graduate lectures
◦Offers laboratory classes
◦Hosts STARS - Students & Teachers Accessing Research Scientists - Science school for year 11 students across the country.