Judith Dawes
About Optica
Judith Dawes
Macquarie University, Australia
Judith Dawes is a Professor of Physics and Director of MQ Photonics Research Centre at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Dawes graduated from the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, (B.Sc. (Hons) and Ph.D.). During her Ph.D. she was awarded a Rotary International Fellowship to spend a year at the University of Rochester, NY, USA. After postdoctoral positions at the University of Toronto, Canada, and Macquarie University, she was appointed to a faculty position at Macquarie. Dawes served as Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University (2013–15) and is a member of the Academic Senate of the University.
Dawes is a Fellow of OSA and SPIE. Her contributions to the Optics community include service as an Associate Editor for Optica (since 2018), Joint Editor of the Australian Optical Society News (1994−1996), and an Editorial Board Member for Optics and Photonics News (2010−2012). Dawes also served on the C.E.K. Mees Medal Committee as a member (2019-2020) and as Chair (2020-2021). She has served on numerous conference organising committees, including Frontiers in Optics, CLEO PacRim and CLEO.
Dawes is the Honorary Treasurer for Science and Technology Australia, the peak representative body for approximately 85,000 scientists and technologists in Australia. As former President (2010–12) and member of the Council (2008–14) of the Australian Optical Society (AOS, now the Australian & New Zealand Optical Society), she lobbied on national issues and supported the local optics community with the AOS News, a national lecture series for Laserfest, AOS conferences and student conferences.
With interests in lasers and laser applications in medicine, Dawes’ current research focusses on the collective interactions of light at the nanoscale, applying nanophotonics to imaging and sensing. Her research achievements include the crystal growth, optical characterisation, and laser operation of a new laser crystal, Yb:YAB, which emits tunable, self-frequency-doubled, infrared and green light; and the invention of a laser-cured protein solder for laser microsurgery to repair severed nerves and blood vessels.
Dawes has mentored and supervised over 40 PhD, Masters, and 4th year research students and postdoctoral fellows, who have made successful careers in universities, government laboratories, technology start-ups and larger industries, school teaching, astronomy, patent law and clinical medicine in Australia and internationally.
