Rachel Webster, University of Melbourne
professor of physics
Rachel Webster is a Redmond Barry distinguished professor in University of Melbourne’s School of Physics with a stellar career teaching and researching astronomy for more than 20 years. She is also a chief investigator at the Melbourne node of the national ARC Centre of Excellence for Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO-3D), a board member of Australian Astronomy Limited (AAL), a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, and a key member of an international consortium involving Australian and American astrophysicists who have designed and built a new low frequency radio telescope that aims to detect the first sources in the universe. She is involved in both observational and theoretical research areas, including quasar emission regions, gravitational lensing, and cosmology, and has a keen interest in issues around sustainability and climate change, and the physics of geothermal energy. Just this year, Webster has been named as an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to education in the field of astrophysics and astronomical research, and for her dedication to young women scientists.