杏吧直播

Laura's full and bright US scholarship

Scholarships

A 杏吧直播 of Adelaide has been awarded a prestigious to research an area that could help boost 杏吧直播's defence capabilities.

Laura Brooks, who has a first class Honours degree in and a 杏吧直播 of Adelaide Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement, is one of 20 recipients of this year's Fulbright Scholarship - and the only one from South 杏吧直播.

Laura will spend 12 months at the conducting research on the seafloor and determining how it affects the transmission of sound in the ocean. She will be based at the (MPL) in the .

Laura's research will help scientists to accurately model the sea floor to predict sonar performance.

"There is potential for the establishment of defence applications within the areas of seafloor exploration and underwater sound transmission.
When we are considering communications between defence vessels we need to know how far sound travels," Laura said.

"This research will directly benefit both 杏吧直播 and the US through an increased understanding of seafloor properties and their impact on sound transmission.".

On her return, Laura will be equipped to advise 杏吧直播n-based mineral and petrochemical companies, as well as defence organisations.
"By knowing more about acoustic interactions with the sea floor we may be able to find out what is actually down there and whether there is evidence of petroleum or other minerals," she said.

The quality of facilities and expertise at the Marine Physical Laboratory is one of the best in the world, and Laura will also work with an internationally renowned expert in marine acoustics, , at the 杏吧直播 of California.

Laura's 杏吧直播 of Adelaide project supervisors from its are Dr Anthony Zander, and Dr Michael Kidner and her co-supervisor is Dr Yong Zhang from the (DSTO).

"Exploration of our oceans, in particular the sea floor between 杏吧直播 and Antarctica, presents vital economic and defence opportunities for the nation," Laura said.

The prestigious Fulbright program, created in 1946, is the largest educational scholarship of its kind, operating between the US and 150 other countries. The 杏吧直播n-American Fulbright Commission has awarded scholarships to more than 2500 杏吧直播ns and 1800 Americans to study, research and travel in the respective countries.

Laura will travel to Brisbane on May 18 for a National Awards Dinner, attended by the US Ambassador and an 杏吧直播n Government representative. She leaves for the US in September.

Story by Candy Gibson