In 2019, Griffith University scientists have rewritten the textbooks on quantum mechanics, as well as helped rewrite our human history.

This National Science Week will see a range of public events celebrate the remarkable research output from Griffith.

Earlier this year, Professor Robert Sang and Associate/Professor Igor Litvinyukfrom Griffith’s Centre for Quantum Dynamics helped rewrite the textbooks by measuring the time it takes for a particle to tunnel through a barrier.

The research, published in the prestigious journalNature, saw the team nominated for the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for Scientific Research, to be announced on August 28 at Sydney’s Town Hall.

Also nominated is Griffith’s Professor Tanya Smith for her research, published inScience Advances,into 250,000-year-old Neanderthal teeth that revealed the oldest exposure to lead and the first natural weaning from breastfeeding in a fossil hominin.

Professor Smith will talk about her research during National Science Week on August 17 for Soapbox Science, where a range of fellow Griffith scientists will take to the streets of Surfers Paradise to share their science from a soapbox at this free public event.

Prof Tanya Smith. Image: Jeff Camden

Under the iconic beachside Surfers Paradise sign, Professor Smith (Environmental Futures Research Institute), Dr VimbaisheChibang(Institute forGlycomics), Dr SallyWasef(Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution),MsNikki Findlay (Cities Research Institute) will offer insights into their fieldsof research. The event is co-ordinated by Griffith’s Professor Kate Seib, Dr Ali Chauvenet and Dr Nathalie Butt.

Griffith scientists will also present at Sea World Cruises’ Wine, Whales & Sea Tales withGriffith marine experts Dr OlafMeynecke, Associate Professor Susan Bengtson Nash, and visiting Scholar Laura Torre-Williams discussing their work with our iconic sea life.

Women in Engineering will have Lots of Bots on show at Southport Library, and the Science On The Go! team are hosting a science trivia night for school students and their teachers with former Network 10 Scope TV host and science personality Dr Rob Bell.

Pro-Vice Chancellor of Griffith Sciences Professor Andrew Smith said: “In a changing world where Science has an increasingly important role in informing us about the choices we have, it’s extremely important for us to engage with community about what we do at Griffith, whether this is vaccines and drugs against emerging disease or questions that are as old as the human race.

“It’s great to see some our leading scientists out and about during National Science Week, if you come across them, it’s well worth a listen!”

Established in 1997, National Science Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge.

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Running each year in August, it features more than 1000 events around Australia, including those delivered by universities, schools, research institutions, libraries, museums and sciencecentres.

It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to be fascinated by the world we live in.