P006232 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2019-01-29 human Helen Cohn updated 2026-02-13 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P006232b.htm person Simmons Michelle Yvonne AC FAA FRS FTSE AACR2 14 July 1967 Place of Birth London, United Kingdom Quantum physicist Science administrator Michelle Simmons is a world leader in quantum computing and has pioneered technologies to build electronic devices at the atomic scale. With her team she created the first transistor made from a single atom. Simmons is Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of New South Wales and Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. In 2018 she was Australian of the Year, and in 2023 was awarded the Prime Minister's Prize for Science. 1992 1992 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Durham University, United Kingdom 1992 1998 Career position - Research Fellow, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge 1999 Career position - Founding Member and Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology 1999 1999 Life event - Settled in Australia 1999 2004 Career position - Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow, University of New South Wales 2000 Career position - Manager, Atomic Fabrication and Crystal Growth Program, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, School of Physics, University of New South Wales 2000 Career position - Director, Atomic Fabrication Facility, University of New South Wales 2003 Career position - Chair, New South Wales Branch, Australian Institute of Physics 2003 Career position - Member, C8 Commission, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics 2003 Career position - Australian Representative for Nanotechnology, International Union of Vacuum Sciences 2003 2003 Award - ARC Federation Fellow 2005 Career position - Member, Expert Advisory Committee for Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences, Australian Research Council 2005 2005 Award - Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science 2006 2006 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 2007 Career position - Associate Editor, IEEE Journal of nanotechnology 2007 2017 Career position - Chair, National Committee for Physics, Australian Academy of Science 2008 2008 Award - ARC Federation Fellow 2009 Career position - Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales 2009 2009 Award - Pollock Memorial Lecture, Royal Society of New South Wales 2011 2011 Award - Award for Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, New South Wales Science and Enginnering Awards 2011 2011 Award - New South Wales Scientist of the Year 2011 2011 Career position - Director, ARC Centre of Excellence Quantum Computation and Communication Technology 2013 Award - ARC Laureate Fellowship 2013 2013 Award - Walter Burfitt Prize, Royal Society of New South Wales 2014 Award - Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences 2014 2014 Award - Honorary Bragg Member, Royal Institution of Australia 2015 2015 Award - Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science, Australian Museum 2015 2015 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) 2015 2015 Award - CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science 2015 2015 Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science 2015 2015 Award - Feynmann Prize in Nanotechology, Foresight Institute 2016 Award - Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science 2017 2017 Award - Laureate in Physical Sciences, L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award 2018 2018 Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS) 2018 2018 Award - Australian of the Year 2019 2019 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - For distinguished service to science education as a leader in quantum and atomic electronics, and as a role model 2020 2020 Career position - Chair, Division of Quantum Information, American Physical Society 2020 2022 Career position - Board Member, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 2021 Award - Fellow, American Physical Society 2022 Career position - Chief Executive Officer, Silicon Quantum Computing, Univesity of New South Wales 2022 2022 Award - Bakerian Medal, Royal Society, London 2023 2023 Award - Erna Hamburger Prize, EPFL Wish Foundation, Switzerland 2023 2023 Award - Prime Minister's Prize for Science, Commonwealth of Australia 2025 Award - Honorary Fellow, Australian Institute of Physics 2026 2026 Award - Companion of the Order of Australian (AC) for eminent service to quantum physics and nanotechnology research, to atomic-scale engineering, to technology innovation and commercialisation, and to STEM education Prime Minister's Prize for Science, Commonwealth of Australia (2000 - )

Awarded the Prize 2023

 Walter Burfitt Prize, Royal Society of New South Wales (1935 - )

Awarded the Prize 2013

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )

Elected Fellow 2015

 Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian National Research Council and Australian Academy of Science (1935 - )

Awarded the Medal 2015

 Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science (1967 - )

Awarded the Medal 2005

 Royal Institution of Australia (2009 - )

Honorary Bragg Member 2014

 Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )

Elected Fellow 2006; Chair, National Committee for Physics 2007 - 2017

 The University of New South Wales (1958 - )

Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics, Faculty of Science 2009 -

 New South Wales Science and Engineering Awards (2008 - 2014)

Scientist of the Year and received the award for Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy 2011

 Pollock Award and Lectureship in the Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Royal Society of New South Wales (1949 - )

Awarded the Pollock Memorial Lecture 2013

 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Commonwealth of Australia (1949 - )

Board Member 2020 - 2022

 Australian Institute of Physics (1963 - )

Honorary Fellow 2025 -

 'Simmons, Michelle Yvonne', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Simmons, Michelle Yvonne Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: Scientia Professor Michelle Yvonne Simmons: Companion of the Order of Australia Scientia Professor Michelle Yvonne Simmons: Companion of the Order of Australia Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 2026 It's an Honour Australian Awards and Honours Secretariat Resource: Pawsey Medal Australian Academy of Science Pawsey Medal Australian Academy of Science 2022 Resource: Australian of the Year Awards National Australia Day Council Australian of the Year Awards National Australia Day Council Resource: Prime Minister's Prizes for Science 2023 Prime Minister's Prizes for Science 2023 Canberra Department of Industry, Science and Resources 2023 Resource: Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal Australian Academy of Science Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal Canberra Australian Academy of Science 2023 Journal Article: Academy Fellows elected to Royal Society Anon Academy Fellows elected to Royal Society 2018 Newsletter, Australian Academy of Science 115/6 12-4 Resource: UNSW scientist Michelle Simmons is Australian of the Year Smith, Deborah UNSW scientist Michelle Simmons is Australian of the Year Sydney University of New South Wales 2018 Journal Article: Michelle Simmons on Australia's tech future and her illustrious career Anon Michelle Simmons on Australia's tech future and her illustrious career 2018 ATSE focus 206 10-13