Hannah Rowe, 2 February, 2024
Michael is an Energy Researcher and self-described ‘Tinkerer’! This article delves into Michael’s PhD in energy storage materials1, why research into supercapacitors is so important and also shares his tips with those thinking about studying Physics at university.
What interested you in studying physics?
I really just followed my talents. I spent some time studying in the health science area straight out of high school and then spent quite a few years wondering what I should do. I knew I wanted to be part of the bigger picture. And science is what I excelled at in school. I decided that following this passion for science was a sensible starting point and that I'd see where it led me.
What brought you to QUT, and what has made you stay here?
Since starting QUT, I've just found it in an incredible place to be. Having been here a while, I've seen QUT go from strength to strength in that time. I feel privileged to be a part of a university that is growing and achieving some great things with its research and in many other areas.
Supercapacitors vs batteries: What's the difference?
Supercapacitors are another type of device (like a battery) with a plus terminal and a minus terminal. You can connect wires to them and make electricity flow through them. Batteries are the everyday devices that we're all familiar with, converting chemical energy into electric energy.
Supercapacitors are similar devices, but compared to batteries, supercapacitors tend to have a lot less energy in them. However, supercapacitors can deliver higher power. For example, if you try to run a little light bulb, a battery will make the light bulb run for hours and hours, whereas a supercapacitor would make it run for a much shorter time. However, if you tried to connect 100 light bulbs to a battery, the battery would get hot and potentially burn out, but a supercapacitor would have no problem lighting 100 bulbs up, albeit for a short time.
What are some of the benefits of transitioning to supercapacitors?
Batteries and supercapacitors are very much complimentary of each other. Swapping out batteries for supercapacitors is not likely, as they both have a place. Supercapacitors are great for delivering high power loads and having a long lifecycle. For example, some hybrid vehicle systems can be good at re-catching the high power you get during regenerative braking. On the other hand, batteries are not as efficient at handling high power loads.
What problems are you trying to solve through your research?
I researched supercapacitors as part of my PhD, and I'm currently working on battery research. The challenges are quite similar in both supercapacitor and battery research:
- How do we make the materials work for longer?
- How do we deliver more energy?
- How do we deliver more power?
- How can we make energy more cost-efficient?
It is challenging to balance all of these problems, but that is what makes physics exciting. With my current work, I'm focusing more on batteries and how to make them handle more power, to be able to charge and discharge faster (like supercapacitors) without them burning out.
Tell us more about your current work and where life has taken you post PhD studies.
I am currently working at one of QUT's distributed facilities, which is based off-campus. At this facility, we are trying to build testing capability for batteries and other parts of the battery value chain. We make materials and batteries there, put them into packs, and test them.
What is the best way for an undergraduate to move into research?
QUT has a program called the Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES) which offers current undergraduate students (and selected postgraduate coursework students) the opportunity to participate in a paid research project as part of the university’s Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES). If you’re accepted, you get to:
- contribute to a meaningful research project in your area of interest
- collaborate with active researchers for approximately 6 to 10 weeks during vacation time between November and February
- experience an exciting and stimulating environment and get inspired
- receive a stipend of $2,000 and decide if research is something you want to pursue.
What skills do you need to work in the energy sector?
The skills required to work in the energy sector are very multidisciplinary. In the QUT research facility that I'm involved in building right now, we need physicists, chemical engineers, process engineers, mechanical engineers, and data scientists, too! The key skills required to work in this space are an aptitude for problem-solving and mathematics skills.
What are your top tips for someone looking to study physics at university?
My top tip for someone wanting to study physics at university is to be patient with yourself. Studying something like physics can strain your brain sometimes, as you’re doing a lot of mathematics and problem-solving. So be gentle with yourself and be patient, as Physics can be very rewarding.
Explore Physics at QUT
Physicists are an asset to almost any industry! They are involved in finding solutions to challenges facing our world, including developing instruments for environmental monitoring, computer models for climate change prediction, and solar and renewable energy systems. Physicists are also attempting to address the world’s ever-increasing appetite for information and information processing by undertaking research into quantum computers, nanotechnology, lasers, and photonics.
A Physics degree at QUT opens a world of opportunities to achieve your full potential and forge a rewarding career.
