Dr Sarah Scholten Secures Funding for Next-Generation GPS Technology

Dr Sarah Scholten, an experimental physicist at IPAS and researcher at the School of Physics, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences, has been awarded a prestigious Early Career Industry Fellowship grant from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for 2024.

Dr Scholten's project, "Quantum Clock for Assured Global Navigation: Global Positioning System 2.0," has been awarded $392,000 in funding. In collaboration with industry partner QuantX Labs, the project aims to develop a cutting-edge atomic clock tailored for next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. This proposed atomic clock will offer tenfold improvement over existing commercial GPS clocks, enhancing precision and reliability. Designed to minimise size, weight, and power consumption, the clock will be ideally suited for use on a satellite. Additionally, the initiative seeks to mitigate vulnerabilities and potential disruptions to future satellite navigation signals, ensuring a more secure system.

The anticipated benefits of this project are substantial. This technology has the potential to strengthen Australia’s self-reliance in positioning and navigation services, contributing to sovereign navigation capabilities. With its focus on assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services, the project is poised to deliver reliable and robust satellite navigation to users worldwide. The advanced atomic clock developed through this initiative will play a crucial role in establishing a more secure and dependable global navigation system.

Sarah's achievement reflects her outstanding research capabilities and is a source of great pride for our institute. We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr Scholten and the other successful Early Career Industry Fellows from the University of Adelaide.

For more information, please read the University of Adelaide news release and view the full list of Early Career Industry Fellowship 2024 round 1 recipients here.