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 July 14, 1967) is an amazing Australian quantum physicist. She is famous for her important work in a field called atomic electronics. This means she helps build tiny electronic devices using individual atoms!
She is the founding director of a special research group. This group is called the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology. As of 2023, she is also a Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics. She works in the Faculty of Science at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Michelle Simmons has received many top awards for her science. In 2018, she was named Australian of the Year. This was for her hard work in quantum information science. In 2019, she received the Officer of the Order of Australia. This award recognized her great service to science education. She is a leader in quantum and atomic electronics and a wonderful role model.
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Early Life and Education
Michelle Yvonne Simmons was born in London, United Kingdom, on July 14, 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 Trevelyan College, Durham University. There, she focused on the physics and chemistry of materials.
After her undergraduate degree, she continued her studies at St Aidan's College, Durham. In 1992, she earned her PhD. Her research was about special solar cell structures.
Career and Groundbreaking Research
From 1992 to 1998, Michelle Simmons worked as a research fellow in quantum electronics. She worked with Michael Pepper at the Cavendish Laboratory in the UK. During this time, she became well-known around the world. She helped discover a special feature in electronics. She also helped develop 'hole' transistors.
In 1999, she moved to Australia. She received a special fellowship from the Australian Research Council (ARC). She conducted research there for four years. She was also a founding member of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology. She is still the director of this important center today.
She has held many other important roles throughout her career, including:
- 2000: Director, Atomic Fabrication Facility, UNSW
- 2000: Manager, Atomic Fabrication and Crystal Growth Program, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, School of Physics, UNSW
- 2003: Chair, New South Wales Branch, Australian Institute of Physics
- 2003: Member, C8 Commission, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
- 2003: Australian Representative for Nanotechnology, International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications
- 2005: Member, Expert Advisory Committee for Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences, Australian Research Council
- 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.
Building with Atoms: Atomic Electronics
Michelle Simmons is famous for creating the field of atomic electronics. This means building electronic devices at the atomic scale. Her research team at ARC has achieved amazing things. They created the first super-precise single atom transistor. They also made the narrowest conducting wires ever in silicon.
Since 2000, she has led a large research group. They focus on making atomic scale devices. They use a special tool called scanning tunnelling microscopy. Her group is the only one in the world that can build devices in silicon with atomic precision. They were also the first to make a working "perfect" single-atom transistor. They also created the thinnest conducting wires in silicon.
Publications and Public Talks
Michelle Simmons has written over 400 science papers. These papers have been reviewed by other experts. She has also written five book chapters. Plus, she published a whole book about nanotechnology.
She has also filed 44 patents. These protect her new inventions. She has given over 250 invited talks. These were at big international conferences.
She is the first editor-in-chief of npj Quantum Information. This is a science journal that started in 2015. It publishes articles about the new field of 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 Boyer Lecture. It was a four-part series called The Atomic Revolution.
Awards and Recognition
Michelle Simmons has received many awards and honors for her 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, Australian Research Council
- 2013: Royal Society of New South Wales Walter Burfitt Prize
- 2014: Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 2015: Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal
- 2015: Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
- 2015: Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology for making single-atom transistors
- 2015: Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science
- 2017: George R. Stibitz Computing Pioneer Award
- 2017: L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science Asia-Pacific Laureate
- 2017: Featured in a short documentary on France24 TV
- 2018: Australian of the Year
- 2018: Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 2019: Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
- 2020: Chair, Division of Quantum Information, American Physical Society
- 2021: Fellow, American Physical Society
- 2022: Royal Society Bakerian Medal
- 2023: Prime Minister's Prize for Science
- 2023: Erna Hamburger Prize
As of 2017, Simmons was also 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 together. Michelle says she loves "planning expeditions and keeping fit." But what makes her happiest is her "funny husband and three adorable children."
Her science heroes are Michael Faraday and Nobel Prize winner John Bardeen.
Views on Education and Encouraging Girls in STEM
In her 2017 Australia Day speech, Simmons talked about education. She believes it's important to set high expectations for students. She also spoke about encouraging girls in science and technology.
When she was named Australian of the Year in 2018, she shared an important message. She said, "Don't live your life according to what other people think. Go out there and do what you really want to do." She is very passionate about helping girls pursue careers in 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
