Michelle Simmons in the Atomic Fabrication Facility at UNSW.

In March 2003, Associate Professor Michelle Simmons, from the School of Physics and Director of the Atomic Fabrication Facility in the ARC Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, was awarded one of 24 Australian Government Federation Fellowships. These are the most prestigious and richest publicly funded research fellowships offered in Australia. They are awarded on the advice of the Australian Research Council to support and encourage Australian researchers to conduct research of significant national economic, environmental and social benefit.

A/Prof Simmons was awarded the Federation Fellowship for her work in quantum electronics, with the ultimate aim of being able to build electronic devices one atom at a time. Her fellowship is the second to be awarded to a staff member from the School of Physics. Professor Bob Clark, the Director of the ARC Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, was one of the initial fellowship recipients in 2001.