12.30 - 1.30 pm, Wednesday 30th July 2008, Haydn Williams Lecture Theatre, Building 405, Curtin University of Technology

The De Laeter Youth Lecture is organized annually by the WA Branch of the Australian Institute of Physics. It is named in honour Emeritus Professor John De Laeter, of Curtin University. Not only is Professor De Laeter one of Western Australia's most noted scientists, but he has also had an enormous impact on education is Western Australia. A minor planet has been named after Professor De Laeter in recognition of his research in astrophysics and, in 1992, was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his contributions to science, education and industry. He received a Eureka Prize in 2005, and a Clunies Ross Science and Technology Award in 2006.

The 2008 De Laeter Youth Lecture will be delivered by Dr Suzanne V Smith from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence For Antimatter-Matter Studies. Dr Smith has 19 years’ experience in the design and development of reactor and cyclotron radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. This experience spans all aspects of the research and development required to take a scientific concept from the laboratory to clinical trials. She is a very energetic and engaging speaker.

Places are limited, so please RSVP to Curtin University of Technology, or phone 9266 2563. Buses should drop students in the set down bay on Hayman Road Bus parking is available in Car Park 28A, next to Recreation Centre Metered car parking is available in P31 The Haydn Williams Lecture Theatre is an accessible venue with the closest ACROD parking available outside building 405.

Details of Dr Smith's talk are given below.

Antimatter and Nanotechnology - and their extraordinary applications

Antimatter is the same as ordinary matter except that it has the opposite electric charge. When antimatter and matter annihilate an enormous amount of energy is released as predicted by Einstein’s famous E=mc2 formula. Today antimatter is used in many applications, from cancer detection through to the engineering of novel materials. Understanding the interactions of antimatter with molecules and materials can yield an array of new materials with extraordinary properties.