Adelaide Optics Chapter

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Adelaide Optics Chapter

We support science students and researchers, and deliver science outreach for schools and the wider community.

The OPTICA/SPIE Student Chapter of the University of Adelaide is aimed at bringing students studying or interested in optics together. We have a series of events planned throughout the year for chapter members, including BBQs, tours to industry and lectures; and it's all free to members! If you're studying at the University of Adelaide (or neighbouring unis) and interested in optics, join now! Cur

rent committee members -
President: Gabriel Britto Monteiro
Vice President: Ané Kritzinger
Treasurer: Ramsés Eduardo Bautista González
Secretary: Zane Peterkovic

31/08/2026

The winner of Lastek's Most Creative Photography Award!: 🏆

ISS Passover, Adelaide Hills, Will Godward

The International Space Station passing over the Adelaide Hills starry night sky.

This competition was run by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of QuTech's Written Science Communication Award: 🏆

Counting Seagrass, Juan Sanchez

Have you ever counted grass in the park? Of course you have! Now imagine doing that while SCUBA diving in the tropical waters of the Caribbean. We use quadrants to help keep our counting nice and organized. Taking a picture of each quadrant is part of our protocol. This particular picture is a "bad" picture for our data collection purposes. I triggered the shutter as the camera was entering the water; hence, you can only see a glimpse of the seagrass quadrant. Yet, for me, this picture captures the feeling of jumping into the water to get the job done. One more data point. One more measurement. All adding up to help us determine the state of seagrass meadows.

This competition was run by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of the Award for Uplifting Indigenous Scientific or Cultural Knowledge: 🏆

I present the Banksia grandis..., Ken Grant

The Banksia grandis, commonly known as the bull banksia or giant banksia, is native to the southwest of Western Australia. This lovely specimen caught my eye when visiting the Albany Wind Farm. Banksia grandis is not often cultivated as it is slow-growing, taking ten years or more to flower from seed. It is best suited to areas with a dry summer and requires sandy, well drained soils in full sun. The Noongar peoples know the tree as beera, biara, boongura, gwangia, pira or peera, and they used to steep the flowers in water or suck them to obtain nectar.

This competition was run by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of HerTechPath's Women, Girls & Non-binary Award!: 🏆

A captured moment of tranquility, Sari B. (Young Scientist, 12 to 18 years old)

Fujisan captured at Lake Ashinoko.

Fujisan is an active stratovolcano, on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures in Japan. its tectonic positioning is on the Pacific Ring of Fire above the converging plates. Fujisan last erupted December 16th 1707, since then there’s been peace.

This photo represents a cataclysmic giant that brings tranquility to every day life.

Japan views Fujisan in awe due to it’s duality of nature. It embodies immense power of destruction yet provides for the land.

Fujisan is clearly visible 70-80 days per year, I’m grateful to have a captured this moment of tranquility.

Thank you Fujisan.

This competition was run by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of the Regional and Remote Communities Award!: 🏆

Speckled sky, Paige W. (Junior Explorer, 12 years old and younger)

The clouds in my photo are called altocumulus clouds. They look like lots of little fluffy clouds spread across the sky. The bright rays are sunbeams. They happen when sunlight shines through gaps in the clouds. Dust, tiny water droplets, and moisture in the air make the light easier to see.The clouds also glow around the Sun because they scatter the light. All these things together made the sky look really amazing when I took this photo. Seeing clouds like this makes me happy and excited to play outside and explore the world.

This competition was run by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of QuTech's People's Choice Award!: 🏆

Frosty Bubbles, Angus B (Junior Explorer, 12 years old and younger)

On cold winter mornings, the car windows are covered in condensation. The tiny water droplets look like little bubbles on the glass, especially when the sunlight shines through them. This makes the photo look interesting because the droplets surround the bright reflection of the sun, making it seem like one big sun bubble. The dark tree shadows also make the photo stand out and give it a mysterious feeling. I love that every morning when the weather is frosty, I get into the warm car and look out the window, and the shapes, bubbles, and angle of the sun are always a little bit different.

This competition was ran by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of Lastek's Everyday Science in Action and QuTech's People's Choice Award!: 🏆

Jumping raindrops, Penny D. (Junior Explorer, 12 years old and younger)

“It rained all weekend in Port Pirie”
“The clouds make the rain and when lots comes down it makes big puddles.”
“When the puddles are full, the raindrops bounce in the puddles and splash back up. They make circle patterns!”
“They are called ripples”

This competition was ran by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of the Youth Scientist Award! (13 to 18 yrs old): 🏆

Standing wave at Forth Creek, Max F.

This standing wave is produced by a Physics concept known as a Hydraulic Jump, where there is a balance between the speed of the downward flow with the speed of the water pushing up past the rock, causing the wave to roll over in place. This particular wave exemplifies a standing wave, as it rolls in place consistently through a long exposure shot while the other water around it flows past. The estimated Froude number for this wave is around 1.7 to 2.5. The Froude number is an indication of the ratio between the speed of the two opposing currents.

This competition was ran by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

31/08/2026

The winner of the Junior Explorer Award! (12 yrs and younger): 🏆

Backyard Banjo, Ella P.

The Eastern Banjo Frog, also called the Pobblebonk, is more than a frog with a funny name. It is a bioindicator, which means the frog’s presence indicates the ecosystem has clean air, water and soil free from harsh chemicals. Their unwebbed feet have a hard growth on the heels that allows them to burrow deep into loose soil, to survive hot summers or cold winters. Wet weather and water soaking into the earth enables the Pobblebonk to emerge from its burrow for feeding and breeding. A sign that the frog is starting to emerge is their loud ‘bonk’ call.

This competition was ran by the Adelaide Optics Chapter, a group of volunteering students from Adelaide University; with thanks to Inspiring SA, Lastek, The ARC Training Centre for Current & Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath.

30/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our scientific photography exhibition on Friday! 📸

There were 73 amazing entries and over 75 attendees at this year's exhibition, which took place at the Australian Space Discovery Centre (ASDC).

Over 30 of this year's submissions were by children under the age of 13, which shows the dynamic range of SA's NSWk community, all engaged with science often overlooked in the world around us.

This, and much more, was made possible by the large range of awards for targeted demographics, thanks to the support of Inspiring South Australia, Lastek, ARC Training Centre for Current and Emergent Quantum Technologies, and HerTechPath. We also thank our wonderful chapter volunteers and ASDC staff for helping the event run smoothly.

Address

The University Of Adelaide
Adelaide, SA
5005

Website

https://events.humanitix.com/aoc-scientific-photography-exhibition

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