About the Department
Background
The Department of Imaging and Applied Physics is one of four teaching Departments within the Faculty of Science and one of the most active in terms of educational innovation and research.
Internally the Department consists of two Disciplines, Medical Imaging Science, directed by Associate Professor Jan McKay, and Applied Physics, directed by Associate Professor Bob Loss.
Applied Physics is one of the original "Science Departments" established at Curtin in 1966, then the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT). Medical Imaging was established in 1974 and is the only provider of graduates to the Medical Imaging profession in Western Australia. The links it has with its associated clinical community throughout WA are significant and an important part of its brief. The group is progressively moving into graduate education to reflect increasing professional demands.
The long-term success of the Department is reflected in the 'birth' and growth of the other areas within and outside the Department, including the Department of Exploration Geophysics, the Discipline of Medical Imaging Science, and the internationally renowned Curtin Science and Mathematics Education Centre.
Teaching and Learning
Between the two Disciplines we enrol approximately 240 undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students, and 50 higher-degree-by research students (MSc and PhD) through a wide variety of undergraduate single- and double-degrees, and postgraduate courses.
As one of the University's principal service teaching providers, the Applied Physics Discipline also teaches service physics units to approximately 300 other students across the Faculties of Engineering, Science & Engineering, and Health Science. Students from all areas of the University are also involved through a popular program of Elective units.
As one of Curtin's leading academic units, the Department's commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning is of the highest priority and is supported through flexible degree and elective programs, peer and staff mentoring programs for new students and staff, and special orientation programs for new students.
Our students graduate with a remarkably useful set of skills and abilities placing them in high demand both nationally and internationally. The employment flexibility offered by their degree surprises even some of our graduates who are successful in a wide variety of careers and disciplines, including areas well outside their original degree such as IT, business and commerce.
Research
International researchers and students have been an important part of our operations at Curtin Imaging and Applied Physics for many years. The majority of our international connections result from special links that have been developed with our Asian neighbours, but increasing numbers of international researchers, and undergraduate and postgraduate students have come from further afield to work with our staff.
These international connections are reinforced through our highly successful Research and Consultancy record, which focused on Western Australian resources development (materials and minerals, marine and atmospheric), environmental protection and health, and physics education issues. More than half the staff in the Department are full time researchers or research support providers.
Recently our research areas have broadened considerably with the inclusions of significant Theoretical Physics and Radio Astronomy research groups. The quality and success of our research makes a valuable contribution towards all levels of our teaching through both the staff expertise and the state of the art equipment available to students.