During and since his PhD in Physics (UWA, 2002), Philip has been developing new techniques in the field of quantitative convergent-beam electron diffraction (QCBED).  He was the first person to determine the bonding electron density in aluminium unequivocally by experimental means (two most recent awards below), using the QCBED techniques he developed in the preceding decade of work (accounting for all of the awards below).  He has 25 years of experience in advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques and technique development, including electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), as well as about 20 years of experience in high performance computing, which is an indispensable component of QCBED.  He has also developed numerous techniques for digital image restoration and noise quantification to maximise the information that can be extracted from TEM data.  He is experienced in multi-parameter optimisation, having written new algorithms for searching complex and highly correlated parameter spaces with high efficiency in finding the global minimum.  He has been working in the area of metals, alloys, oxide ceramics, rare-earth hexaborides, ferroelectric and thermoelectric materials and naturally occurring superlattices.  He teaches advanced crystallography to final year undergraduate, Masters and PhD students and has taught by invitation at numerous international schools on electron and quantum crystallography.

Career Awards

John Sanders Medal (2012) “For excellence in developing or applying electron microscope techniques, with particular attention to problems of practical importance in the physical and chemical sciences.”  Awarded biennially by the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Society (AMMS) Inc.

Barry Inglis Medal (2011) “For outstanding achievement in measurement research by an individual or group in the fields of academia, research or industry in Australia.”  Awarded by the Australian Government’s National Measurement Institute.

The Cowley-Moodie Award (2006) “For research excellence using electron microscopy in the physical sciences.”  Awarded biennially by AMMS Inc.