| Dr Cathy Foley is a Physicist in Telecommunications and Industrial Physics at the CSIRO. |
In which area or areas of science do you work?
Solid State Physics research and development. I work specifically on High Temperature Superconductoring Devices called SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) which can detect very small magnetic fields (like ones that come from your head when you think!)
Please Note
Kids and SQUIDS - The 2004 Joyce Allen Lectures was given by Dr Cathy Foley http://www.cip.csiro.au/MediaEvents/media/SQUIDSnKidsJuly04.htm
When did you first become interested in this career?
When I was in primary school I was interested in science but thought you have to be like Einstein to get into that career. After the HSC I thought I would be a science teacher. While at university I realised that I could be a scientist so I went on and did a PhD and here I am! School science/nature classes and the school science research competitions really got me interested in a career in science.
What education and training do you have to have for your job?
I did a BSc (Hons) majoring in physics then a Dip Ed (because I was going to be a teacher) and then PhD. That took 9 years.
How has your career progressed?
I got a job at CSIRO as a research fellow which is a sort of post doctorial fellowship for 3 years. Then I applied for a permanent job at CSIRO (same place) and got that. I have been promoted steadily over the years and am now a principal research scientist. I was made a project leader about 5 years ago and I am on the Divsional Management executive which runs the place.
What are the tasks that you do in a typical day?
Meetings these days and lots of them!!! But I first look at email, where I usually have several messages from people locally and around the world. I don't do a lot of hands on work these days but rather plan and develop the project and get my team to work for me. So I spend most of my time talking to people, writing proposals, analysising data, talking to industry to get them to use our research, budgets, write papers, give talks, design experiments, hold project meetings to discuss the research, surf the net looking for information I need, do legal work for contracts that have to be signed by companies using our research. Plan for field trials, read and read and read. Think, handle disputes, manage people and lead them to successful careers and research.
What skills do you use in your job?
Interpersonal skills, maths, physics, fine hand work (if I ever get in the lab to make the SQUID devices), writing, reading, listening, negotiating, budgetting, delegation, counselling, typing, marketing,
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Seeing research I have been involved with being useful and making a difference, traveling both overseas and locally, having an international reputation and contacts and friends all over the world and working with fantastic people and helping them to progress in life.
What do you enjoy least about your job?
Paper work and budgetting
What are some alternative jobs that you would be qualified for?
Teaching, running a company, policy development, financial modelling, government department work, Research and Development manager in a high tech company.
What are some of the advantages to working in this field?
No two days are the same, flexibility and variety. Opportunities to do what ever I think is necessary to achieve my goals.
What are some of the disadvantages to working in this field?
The pay is not as high as for equilvalent jobs such as medicine, accounting, law.
How has your work contributed to science?
My team has developed superconducting devices which have been flown, work well in real operating situations (not just laboratories). We have developed new devices and structures that make our superconducting systems work well and we understand the physics of why they do work.
How has your work benefited society?
I have developed mineral exploration tools that have helped to discover new silver mines in Australia. This same technology will be soon used for electrodeless cardiograms to measure heart ECGs!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Good question. I am at a cross roads where I could head in 4 different directions.
- Be chief of my division!
- Stay where I am - I do love it!
- Start up a company to commercialise my research or
- Do something completely different like work for Amnesty International or be a school teacher!
Find out more about SQUIDs
If you wish to ask Cathy for additional information, you can email UniServe Science and we will contact Cathy for you. Make sure you include Cathy's name and occupation in the Subject line.
You can find out more about SQUIDs from the CSIRO Industrial Physics web site.
You can find out more about SQUIDs and their application from
Word Documnent - A Roadmap for Europe
Superconducting Electronics Links
SQUID, Superconducting Quantum Interference Device
| For further information contact Kaye Placing |
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