Biography

Did you know that tiny magnets, 1000 times thinner than a human hair, are used in cancer treatments, computers and even in self-repairing paints? Theoretical physicist Karen Livesey is designing new nano-sized magnets to address technological challenges, such as reducing the energy that today’s computers use, and heating inoperable cancer tumours to improve health outcomes.

Karen was the first in her family to finish high school and went on to study Physics at the University of Western Australia, completing a PhD in 2010. For almost 10 years, she worked at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs reaching the rank of Associate Professor. While the covid-19 pandemic was raging, she moved to Newcastle NSW with her family in 2020. In 2026 she left her continuing position at the University of Newcastle.

Karen has won awards for teaching, research, speaking and leadership, including 2023-24 Superstar of STEM (Science and Technology Australia), the 2023 Women in Physics medal (Australian Institute of Physics), and a 2023 citation in the Australian Awards for University Teaching.

In 2026-27, Karen serves as the chair of the NSW branch of the Australian Institute of Physics.

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