Keith Nugent
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 Keith Nugent with a lobster |
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| Born | June 28, 1959 Bath, England |
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| Residence |  Australia |
| Nationality | Dual Australian -  English |
| Field | Physicist |
| Institution | University of Melbourne |
| Alma Mater | ANU, University of Adelaide |
| Known for | X-ray Optics Lobster eye optics Near-field optics Synchrotron Physics |
Keith Alexander Nugent (born June 28, 1959) is an Australian physicist. He is currently Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne, Australia specialising in X-ray Optics and Near-field Optics. He was born in Bath, England. He received a first class honours degree from the University of Adelaide[1] and his postgraduate degree from ANU in Canberra.
In 1989 Professor Nugent in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Wilkins pioneered a form of x-ray optics known as lobster-eye optics. Using the capillary structure found in lobster eyes, Nugent and Wilkins were able to design telescopes with a 360 degree view of the sky[2]. This was initially planned to be used in a LOBSTER satellite which would, indeed, do 360 degree surveys of the sky[3]. This, however, never came to fruition[4]. Although, NASA currently have plans to use the technology to view space objects and phenomena from the International Space Station[5].
In 2001 Nugent was made a Federation Fellow by the Australian Government. This position was renewed in 2006[6]. He also chairs the Sciences Advisory Board of IATIA, a company designed to commercialise some of his inventions. Nugent is also Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA). He also has very close ties with the Australian Synchrotron as he sits on the Australian Synchrotron Advisory Board.
In his current position as leader of the Optics Research Group, which is based at the University of Melbourne, Nugent is currently researching the complete recovery of phase from intensity and the applications of this to imaging[7]. This work is currently being used to monitor wear in car engines[8] and has potential for research into the treatment of cancer[9].
[edit] Academic achievements, awards and honors
- Two R&D100 Awards (1988 and 2002)[10].
- The Boas Medal of the Australian Institute of Physics
- The Edgeworth-David Medal of the Royal Society of NSW
- The Pawsey Medal of the Australian Academy of Science, of which he was elected a Fellow in 2000
- A 2003 Centenary Medal by the Federal Government for outstanding contributions to science
- 2004 Victoria Prize for pioneering work with quantitative phase imaging[11].
- Member of the National Science Advisory Committee of the Australian Synchrotron
- Member of the Expert Advisory Committee for Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences
