Chief Investigator

Professor John Close

PhD (Physics)

John Close is a Professor in the Research School of Physics at ANU. He completed his PhD in quantum physics at the University of California at Berkeley in 1991 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle from 1991-1993.  He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max Planck Institute in Goettingen from 1994-1998 and Queen Elizabeth II Fellow at the ANU from 2000-2004.

John’s research interests focus on the development of quantum sensors for a wide variety of applications including terrestrial navigation, satellite navigation, planetary exploration, Earth observation, ground water mapping and monitoring and Earth science.

John collaborates broadly with government organisations in Australia, the US and the UK and with private industry nationally and internationally. John is particularly focussed on contributing to the establishment of a vibrant Australian quantum industry/academic ecosystem to advance quantum technologies and their application to a variety of problems of national significance.