David Blair (physicist)

[1] He developed the niobium bar gravitational wave detector NIOBE,[2] which achieved the lowest observed noise temperature, and participated in a worldwide collaboration that set the best limit on the burst events in 2001.

He has been responsible for numerous innovations including the 1984 invention of the first sapphire clock, a super-precise timepiece designed for space, as well as underpinning the research of the Frequency Stability Group at The University of Western Australia.

[3] In 2010, Blair and collaborating partners developed an educational research program called the Science Education Enrichment Project,[4] to research the benefits of specialist exhibition centres such as the Gravity Discovery Centre.

In 2014, Blair led the Einstein-First Project which aims to introduce Einsteinian Physics at an early age.

In 2013 Blair was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society; 2007 Western Australian (WA) Premier's Science Award for Scientist of the Year; 2005 World Year of Physics, Blair was awarded the ANZAAS Medal[5] as well as a WA Government Centre of Excellence Grant to develop the Australian International Gravitational Research Centre; 2004 Learning Links Certificate, Minister for Education and Training; 2003 National Medal for Community Service; 2003 Centenary Medal (for Promotion of Science); 2003 Clunies Ross Medal for Science and Technology and in 1995 Blair won the Walter Boas Medal of the Australian Institute of Physics.