Michelle Simmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Simmons
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Michelle Simmons at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
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Michelle Yvonne Simmons
14 July 1967 London, United Kingdom
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| Alma mater | Durham University (PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Thomas Barlow |
| Children | 1 daughter; 2 sons |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Quantum physics |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge University of New South Wales Sydney Grammar School |
| Thesis | The characterisation of CdTe-based epitaxial solar cell structures fabricated by MOVPE (1992) |
| Doctoral advisor | Andrew W. Brinkman |
Michelle Yvonne Simmons (born 14 July 1967) is a famous Australian quantum physicist. She is known for her important work in a field called atomic electronics. This field involves building tiny electronic devices using individual atoms.
Professor Simmons is the leader of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology. She is also a Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of New South Wales.
She has received many top awards for her work. In January 2018, she was named Australian of the Year. This was for her amazing dedication to quantum information science. In June 2019, she was given the title of Officer of the Order of Australia. This award recognized her great service to science education. It also honored her role as a leader in quantum and atomic electronics.
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Early Life and Education
Michelle Yvonne Simmons was born in London on 14 July 1967. Her mother was a bank manager, and her father was a policeman. Michelle grew up in South-East London with her older brother.
From 1985 to 1988, she studied at Durham University. She focused on the physics and chemistry of materials.
After her undergraduate studies, she continued her education. In 1992, she earned her PhD from Durham University. Her research was about special solar cell structures.
Career and Research in Quantum Physics
From 1992 to 1998, Michelle Simmons worked as a research fellow in the UK. She studied quantum electronics with Michael Pepper. During this time, she became well-known for her discoveries. She helped develop 'hole' transistors.
In 1999, she moved to Australia. She received a special fellowship to continue her research. She was a founding member of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology. She is still the director of this important center.
In 2017, Professor Simmons started a company called Silicon Quantum Computing. This company is based in Sydney. It focuses on building quantum computers. She is currently the CEO of this company.
She has held many other important roles throughout her career. These include:
- 2000: Director, Atomic Fabrication Facility, UNSW
- 2003: Chair, New South Wales Branch, Australian Institute of Physics
- 2007: Associate editor, IEEE Journal of Nanotechnology
- 2007: Chair, National Committee for Physics, Australian Academy of Science
As of 2023, Professor Simmons is a Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics. She works in the Faculty of Science at the University of New South Wales. In 2025, she joined the Board of Directors of the Tech Council of Australia.
Building Devices at the Atomic Scale
Professor Simmons is famous for creating the field of atomic electronics. This means building electronic devices that are incredibly small. They are made at the atomic scale.
Her research team at ARC has achieved amazing things. They created the first very precise single atom transistor. They also made the narrowest conducting wires ever in silicon.
Since 2000, her team has focused on making atomic scale devices. They use a special tool called scanning tunnelling microscopy. This tool allows them to place atoms with extreme accuracy. Her group is the only one in the world that can build such precise devices in silicon. They were also the first to make a working "perfect" single-atom transistor.
Publications and Public Speaking
Professor Simmons has written over 450 scientific papers. These papers have been reviewed by other experts. She has also written five book chapters and a book about nanotechnology.
She has filed 44 patents for her inventions. She has given over 400 invited talks at international conferences.
In 2015, she became the first editor-in-chief of npj Quantum Information. This is a science journal about quantum information science.
In 2017, she gave the Australia Day address for New South Wales. She talked about how important it is to have high goals for students. In 2023, she gave the four-part Boyer Lecture series. It was titled The Atomic Revolution.
Awards and Recognition
Michelle Simmons has received many awards for her groundbreaking work:
- 1999: Australian Research Council QEII Fellowship
- 2004: Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship
- 2005: Australian Academy of Science's Pawsey Medal
- 2006: Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 2009: Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship
- 2011: NSW Scientist of the Year
- 2013: Australian Laureate Fellowship
- 2015: Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal
- 2015: Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology
- 2015: Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
- 2017: L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science Asia-Pacific Laureate
- 2018: Australian of the Year
- 2018: Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 2019: Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
- 2022: Royal Society Bakerian Medal
- 2023: Prime Minister's Prize for Science
- 2023: Erna Hamburger Prize
As of 2017, Professor Simmons was a trustee for Sydney Grammar School.
Personal Life and Views
Michelle Simmons has lived in Australia since 1999. She became an Australian citizen in 2007.
She is married to Thomas Barlow. He is a novelist and business analyst. They have three children: one daughter and two sons. Michelle enjoys "planning expeditions and keeping fit." She also says her "funny husband and three adorable children" bring her the most joy.
Her science heroes are Michael Faraday and Nobel Laureate John Bardeen.
Thoughts on Education
In her 2017 Australia Day speech, Professor Simmons talked about education. She felt that physics education standards in high school were being lowered. She believed that making physics "more appealing to girls" by removing math problems was not the right approach.
When she was named Australian of the Year in 2018, she shared an important message. She said it's vital not to let others' expectations define you. "Don't live your life according to what other people think," she advised. "Go out there and do what you really want to do." She is very passionate about encouraging girls to study science and technology. She believes that "seeing women in leadership roles and competing internationally is important. It gives them the sense that anything is possible."
See also
In Spanish: Michelle Simmons para niños
