Glass Science Exhibition
How can the interaction of glass and light unlock faster internet, advanced medical diagnostics, quantum computing, and more?
Glassmaking dates back 4,000 years, yet it still shapes our connected lives.
Australia leads in pioneering glass science research shaping the future.
This exhibition is about glass, but not as you know it.
What is Glass?
At the molecular level, glass has a random atomic structure, unlike crystals, which have neatly arranged atoms. This characteristic enables glass to have a molten state, between solid and liquid, during which it can be shaped. This is why chemists classify glass as an amorphous solid—or a solid that "lacks a clear structure". This structure also gives glass strength, flexibility, and transparency.
What is Light?
Light is both a wave and a particle. As a wave, it spreads, bends, and interferes with its environment, creating effects like rainbows. As a particle, light consists of photons that carry energy, which can be absorbed or emitted.
Light is at the heart of photonics technologies, the branch of technology concerned with the properties and transmission of photons. Lasers, optical fibres, the cameras and screens in our phones, optical tweezers, and lighting in our cars, homes, computer screens and TVs are just a few examples of photonics.
Meet Dr Photon
Meet Poulie Photon, PhD. He is a particle of light and a specialist in photonics - the science of manipulating light.
You can find him in infographics explaining how light interacts with glass for technology and simple physics phenomena where he plays a vital role.
Across from the Botanic Garden, Professor Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem, 2024 SA Scientist of the Year finalist, is leading a glass revolution.
Industry Laureate Professor Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem leads the Photonic Materials & Optical Fibres research team, which is part of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing at the University of Adelaide. In addition to this role, she leads the Adelaide hub technical team at The Australian National Fabrication Facility Node-Optofab. Optofab Adelaide offers fabrication services for custom optical glass with unique properties. Heike and her teams are working on unlocking the secrets of glass and light.
Between the photonics research at the University, the optical glass fabrication at the Optofab facility, and the glass art at the Jam Factory, Adelaide brings together a rare combination of glass science and fibre fabrication research facilities and expertise.
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