Supervisor: Matthew Davis mdavis@uq.edu.au

 

Research interests: Quantum gases, Bose-Einstein condensates, superfluidity, non-equilibrium dynamics, vortices, turbulence, computational physics.

 

The closing date for Expressions of Interest to be submitted is 6 March 2026.  After this date, candidates will be shortlisted and interviewed.  There is also a three-year postdoc funded with each of the grants, soon to be advertised.  Please email me for further details or discussion.

 

The emerging field of atomtronics uses superfluid quantum gases to build functional circuits inspired by traditional electronics. Unlike electronic systems, however, quantum gases exhibit coherence and can flow without viscosity, properties that enable distinctive transport phenomena and new device concepts. As atomtronics approaches a transition from fundamental exploration to practical devices, progress is increasingly limited by a lack of understanding of far‑from‑equilibrium superfluid transport. Addressing this challenge is essential for the development of high‑precision quantum sensors and simulators based on superfluids.

 

The aim of this theoretical physics PhD project is to design and model an atomtronic circuit element exhibiting negative differential conductance (NDC) arising in the far‑from‑equilibrium dynamics controlled by patterned dissipation and controlled atomic losses. Building on this, you will demonstrate how such behaviour can be harnessed to realise a diode, transistor, or another novel atomtronic circuit elements. 

 

Example publications:

 

 

Project 2: Harnessing many-body coherence for quantum thermodynamics with ultracold gases

Understanding and exploiting the laws of thermodynamics at the quantum level is one of the great challenges of modern physics. While all devices must obey thermodynamic principles, the emergence of these laws from microscopic quantum theory – and the role of uniquely quantum features such as coherence and entanglement – remains an open question. These features could enable quantum machines that outperform classical counterparts, but experimental demonstrations are scarce.

 

This theoretical PhD project aims to develop strategies for generating robust, thermodynamically stable many-body coherence, going beyond single-particle effects. Ultracold quantum gases provide an ideal platform: they offer exceptional tunability, precise control, and direct relevance to quantum sensing and simulation.

 

Example publications: