Lighting up the universe – Stuart Wyithe wins PM’s science prize

Professor Stuart Wyithe has received the 2011 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year, for his work on the physics of the formation of the Universe.

The $50,000 prize is part of this year’s Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, Australia’s pre-eminent awards for excellence in science and science teaching.

The main PM’s Prize for Science, meanwhile, was jointly awarded to Professor David Solomon, a professorial fellow in Engineering and Professor Ezio Rizzardo from CSIRO. Professor Rizzardo is also an honorary professorial fellow in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

Professor Wyithe (main photo, right), a theoretical physicist, has worked on gravitational microlensing, but more recently his work has focused on the evolution of the structure of the Universe.

His theories may unearth some answers to the big questions to be asked by a new multi-billion dollar generation of telescopes, including the Square Kilometre Array, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope.

The Universe was born on a hot Big Bang. But after 300,000 years of expansion it became a cold dark place-no galaxies, no stars, no light. A billion years later, nuclear fusion lit up the Universe as hydrogen atoms clumped to form stars and galaxies.

Professor Wyithe said, “It would be accurate to say I was born with a love of astronomy. This Science prize is a great honour and my work will continue to focus on the structure of the Universe.”

Professor Glyn Davis, University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor congratulated the winners. “This is a wonderful achievement which reflects years of hard work by Professors Solomon and Wyithe, and which has had a real impact on the world around us. The accolade is a welcome acknowledgement of the depth of research across the university, but especially within the teams led by these two outstanding scientists.”

The Faculty of Science joins Professor Davis in congratulating Professors Wyithe, Solomon and Rizzardo, as well as the other prize winners.
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Read the full media release.

Visit the official Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science website.