Photonics, music, discovery: creativity in science

Just in case you still think that creative people do arts and the sciences are for people who are good at knowing stuff but lack imagination, have a look at this RiAus interview with physicist (and cellist) Tanya Monro.

Apart from being the only person (perhaps apart from Ian Thorpe) who I’ve heard attribute their career to having big feet, Tanya is taking her science (of photonics) into areas that she never expected when she started studying physics.

And it’s the creative aspect of science, and the excitement of discovery, that is keeping her doing research even though she’s recently taken up a position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) and the University of South Australia.

Watch the interview at: riaus.tv/videos/tanya-monro. [update – old link removed]