Sarah was awarded her PhD in Laser Physics in 2019 from the University of Adelaide, for which Sarah received the Dean’s commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence. Her research endeavours to harness the unique properties of light to break the boundaries of precision measurement for both fundamental and applied research. Sarah is developing a leading-edge optical atomic clock that is leagues ahead in performance compared to the versions on current GPS satellites, while keeping it small enough to one day launch into space. She has a deep interest in translating experimental discoveries and techniques developed during her research efforts into tangible, out-of-lab measurement devices that solve difficult problems and benefit the world.  

Sarah is committed to teaching and encouraging the next generation of aspiring physicists. Sarah has been recognised as one of Australia’s Superstars of STEM for 2023-24 by Science and Technology Australia, a program which tackles the serious gender inequity of visible diverse role models in STEM related fields. By providing young people with a different example to the traditional stereotype of an atomic physicist, Sarah is leading by example. She enthusiastically visits secondary schools, such as Salisbury High School and St Aloysius College to speak to young South Australians about careers and opportunities in science.