Colin Waters

Professor Colin Waters is a renowned experimental physicist and academic at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He currently holds a Professorship in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and previously served as Head of School (2017–2018). Waters is Director of the University's Centre for Space Physics and leads Tentacle CMI, a data analytics company. His expertise includes space weather, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, and plasma physics diagnostics using ultralow-frequency (ULF) waves.

Education:

• PhD in Physics, University of Newcastle (1990)
• Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Newcastle
• Bachelor of Education and Physics, Avondale College

Research Interests: Waters’ work focuses on understanding solar-terrestrial interactions through plasma wave analysis. He pioneered the cross-phase technique for magnetospheric remote sensing, now used globally. Key areas include:

• ULF wave dynamics and their effects on the ionosphere
• Geomagnetic-induced currents impacting infrastructure
• Auroral current systems and energy deposition
• Applications of Iridium satellite data and SuperDARN radar systems
• Risks of space weather to power grids and pipelines
• Radio astronomy challenges with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

His research integrates computational models (e.g., 3D MHD simulations) with experimental data from satellites and ground instruments.

Collaborations & Grants:

• Co-Investigator on the AMPERE project with Johns Hopkins University
• ARC-DP grants totaling ~$4M
• Partnerships with the Bureau of Meteorology and Australian Energy Market Operator
• International collaborations in Canada, the UK, Japan, and the US

Labs & Teams: Directs the University's Centre for Space Physics and works with global teams on projects like the CubeSat mission and MICE initiative. Active in designing magnetometers (e.g., NewMag payload on FedSat) and optimizing HF radar systems.