Christine Charles is a physicist at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...

in Canberra, Australia, an inventor, researcher and science communicator. Her position at the Australian National University is director of the Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion Laboratory.

Life

Charles was born in

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, France, and studied engineering and applied physics at university in France. She completed a Ph. D in plasma physics and a bachelor of music in jazz from the Australian National University. Her specialist field is experimental expanding plasmas (hot ionized gases) and their use in electric propulsion, microelectronics and optoelectronics, astrophysical plasmas, and the development of fuel cells for the

hydrogen economy The hydrogen economy is an umbrella term for the roles hydrogen can play alongside low-carbon electricity to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The aim is to reduce emissions where cheaper and more energy-efficient clean solutions are not ava ...

. Charles invented the

Helicon Double Layer Thruster The helicon double-layer thruster is a prototype electric spacecraft propulsion. It was created by Australian scientist Christine Charles, based on a technology invented by Professor Rod Boswell, both of the Australian National University. The ...

, an electrode-less magneto-plasma space engine which could be used for keeping satellite stations in orbit, or interplanetary space travel for humans. Charles broadcasts and discusses her research through a range of media including television (ABC Catalyst and

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience. It init ...

), radio and public lectures.

Recognition

In 2009 Charles received the

Australian Institute of Physics The Australian Institute of Physics was established in 1963, when it replaced the Australian Branch of the British Institute of Physics based in London.

Women in Physics Lecturer of the Year Award. In 2011 she was a finalist in the Australian Innovation Challenge and the World Technology Awards. In 2013 she was elected to the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...

. In 2015 she received the Women in Industry Excellence in Engineering Award and was elected to the

Australian Academy of Science The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Christine Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Academic staff of the Australian National University Australian National University alumni Australian science communicators French emigrants to Australia 21st-century Australian inventors Space scientists Women space scientists Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science Fellows of the American Physical Society