Associate Professor Richard Morris

Fields of Research (FoR)

Biological physics, Soft condensed matter, Thermodynamics and statistical physics

SEO tags

Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences

Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences

Biography

After completing a masters degree in mathematical physics from the University of Edinburgh, and following a short period working in investment banking, Richard completed a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Manchester. He then undertook postdocs at the Institut de Physique Theorique (IPhT) at the CEAA in Saclay, Frace, and the University of Warwick, in the UK. This facilitated a transition from statistical physics to soft-condensed matter, a trajectory that concluded with a move into living and active matter when he took up the position of Simons Fellow at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, India. He was appointed as an EMBL-Australia Group Leader in 2019, and has a joint position at UNSW between Single Molecule Science (SMS) and the School of Physics.

My Grants

Richard is currently funded via UNSW's participation in the EMBL Australia program. He jointly holds an Australian Research Council Discovery Project (DP240103034) and a National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas Grant (APP2003832). He is also a Chief Investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS, CE230100001)

My Research Activities

Richard is interested in animate, living matter. His group develops the tools and techniques needed to understand animate matter the same way that a physicist understands inanimate matter. This involves drawing upon concepts from non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, active soft matter, and applied mathematics. Richard is part of the EMBL Australia program and works across the School of Physics and the School of Biomedical Sciences (Single Molecule Science). He is also affiliated with the Australian Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS), and coordinates the national Theory of Living Systems webinar series, which showcases leading research at the interface of physics and biology.

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

biophysics

theoretical physics

computational physics

Areas of supervision

Richard supervises Hons. and PhD candidates in the areas of non-equilibirum statistical mechanics, soft and active matter; prospective PhD candidates are encouraged to make contact. It is typically a prerequisite to have a degree (preferrably to Honours or Masters level) in either theoretical physics, applied mathematics, or computer science. Exceptions can be made, especially for those who wish to undertake a jointly-supervised project (i.e., with an experimental partner).

Currently supervising

Richard's team currently comprises five postdocs, one PhD candidate and two Hons. students. Richard is also co-supervisor to a further two PhD students.