Events

ASTROCAMP 2024 - A Recap

This year's PAIN Astrocamp was nothing short of spectacular. Held annually, Astrocamp offers a much-needed escape from university stresses, providing our members with the perfect opportunity to observe the stars, forge new friendships, and immerse themselves in nature. This year, we ventured to a new and enchanting location — Camp Cooby, situated in the Toowoomba region near Cooby Dam. Camp Cooby was a fantastic new location. From the moment we arrived, the breathtaking views and the tranquility of the water welcomed us warmly. With Llamas and even a miniature horse roaming the camp, a firepit to relax around and roast marshmallows, as well as walking tracks around the property, there was plenty to keep us occupied.

With 56 sold-out attendees, ranging from enthusiastic first-year students to seasoned participants on their third Astrocamp, and even a few alumni, the camp was a vibrant mix of fresh faces and familiar friends.
Our nights were filled with a variety of engaging activities that catered to everyone's interests. We kicked off our evenings with a lively trivia night, challenging our minds and fostering a spirit of camaraderie. The next night, we enjoyed a cozy movie night, where laughter and popcorn were abundant. Finally, for those who preferred strategic thinking, our board games night provided endless entertainment and friendly competition.
We ensured that our attendees were well taken care of with breakfast, lunch, and dinner catered for each day, with a specialty hot brekky to finish off our camp on the last day.

Astrocamp 2024 was a resounding success, thanks to the participation and enthusiasm of our members. The event not only allowed us to connect with the wonders of the cosmos but also strengthened our PAIN community. We are grateful for the support of our sponsors IMC Trading and Brisbane Brewing Co, whose contributions make events like these possible.
Thank you for everyone who was a part of our journey. We look forward to seeing you at the next Astrocamp!

Semester 1 Events - 2024 Recap

WEEKS 1-2

Starting with a BANG!

We kicked off the first two weeks at PAIN - UQ Physics Club with an electrifying start! 🌟 The "Welcome Night + Intro Event" featured an illustrious panel from The University of Queensland's School of Mathematics and Physics. 🎓 Our members relished the opportunity to engage in a dynamic Q+A session with various professors and experts at UQ, gaining crucial insights into university life and physics careers.
Following the panel, we embarked on exhilarating laboratory tours, exploring groundbreaking labs like Queensland Quantum Optics, Quantum ATPB and SQD labs, with a special thanks to Christopher Baker, Arkady Fedorov, and Jacquiline Romero for inspiring the next generation of physicists! 🏫
Week 2 kept the momentum going at our 'How to Physics' event, where we shared essential tips and introduced critical skills in Python, MATLAB, and LaTeX. 💻 This week equipped our members to excel academically and professionally in physics.
We also held a sell-out Trivia Night with the UQ Mathematics Students Society, and the UQ Stargazing and Astronomy Society, with a fun and brain-teasing way to kick off the semester.🎓

WEEKS 3-4

Slime, Parties and... Oxford?

We started off Week 3 by cooling down and skating around with a much anticpated Ice-skating event with our members at Iceworld Acacia Ridge! ⛸
Week 4 was full to the brim with a wide range of events. Kicking off the week, our President Mackenzie was able to sit down with Emerald Gaydon, an outstanding Honours student in Physics and a newly minted Rhodes Scholar! 📝 Emerald is set to commence her PhD at the University of Oxford, focussing on the application of material science and nanoscale engineering to neuromorphic computing. She shared her research pursuits and impressive achievements, as well as offering invaluable advice on how to succeed as a busy, high-achieving student.
The next day, we collaborated with 5 other UQ Science clubs to hold a spectacular launch party at The Prince Consort with an enchanted garden theme!💐
To end the week, we teamed up with the UQ Chemistry Club for a "make your own slime" night! Some slimes were more 'slimy' than others (a few of our executives ended up with a puddle), but the night was full of great fun and experimentation for our members. 🧪

WEEKS 5-6

Lasers and Research!

Week 5 we took our members to Laser Force for some laser fun! With three intense games, we quickly figured out who had hand-eye coordination, and who didn't, before finishing off the night with some well deserved pizza and kick-on drinks at Brisband Brewing Co (one of our sponsors)!💥
The following week, were able to put on a fantastic "Summer Research Showcase", which brought together a dynamic panel of students and their advisors to discuss their recent projects. This event peeled back the curtain on the world of academic research, providing attendees with a glimpse into the meticulous work and dedication involved in groundbreaking research. Our panelists shared their key takeaways, lessons learned, and provided sage advice for students considering research paths. 🔬
To finish off week 6, we got in the Easter spirit and held a "Easter Egg Drop and Decorate" night, where our members were able to decorate eggs and build contraptions to protect them out of straws, string, and a plastic bag! Few eggs made it to Easter morning, but many flaunted their creative and engineering side before the mid-semester break!🥚🐇

Mid-Sem Pubcrawl!

Hi-Vis Fun!

During the mid-semester break, PAIN organised and hosted the coolest Pubcrawl of the semester (so far)! With a Hi-Vis theme (because our future is so bright), members of 5 of UQ's biggest science clubs joined forces to let go and party at 3 different locations across Fortitude Valley, dressing up and dancing the night away!🎉 We coordinated with our partners QLDEvents to set up a great run of venues at Finn McCool's, Hey Chica, and the Bunker Nightclub, with drinks provided at every venue and a photographer capturing the night!
With a turn out of almost 150 students, the event was an incredible success. A big thank you to all who came out (and to FINTECH, BIOSOC, BIOTECH & UQCC) during your midsemester break to light it up with PAIN! 🤩

WEEKS 7-8

Golf, Frisbee, and Women in the SMP!

After the midsemester break, we ended the week with a Golf Night at the Victora Park driving range with our friends at FINTECH, smashing our worries into the night, as par as the eye can see... ⛳
We kicked off Week 8 with a special event with WiSA, dedicated to the women who are reshaping the fields of mathematics and physics at UQ. Five distinguished lecturers and professors shared their journeys, highlighting the challenges and triumphs they've faced as women in science. Their talks provided invaluable insights into their academic careers and their pioneering research, ranging from theoretical physics to applied mathematics, and we finished off the night with an insightful Q+A and a catered meet and greet.👩‍🔬
Later in the week we finished things off with Ultimate frisbee with Professor Tamara Davis (a former Australian captain), where she taught us about the physics of frisbees (not really) and we played a spirited game in the Great Court.🥏

WEEKS 9-10

Stars, Honours and Games Night!

In Week 9, we ventured to the Sir Thomas Planetarium to have our annual visit with UQSA! We had an immersive experience wandering through the universe to Pink Floyd's iconic album "The Dark Side Of The Moon!"🪐
The following week, we held our semesterly "Honours Talks" event. Here, our UQ physics honours students stepped into the spotlight to present their thesis projects and progress. They covered a broad spectrum of topics, including quantum optics, optical manipulation, and mathematical physics, offering a peek into the future of physics through their innovative research.🔭
We finished off Week 10 with a relaxing games night, bringing out our gaming consoles and board games, we sat back and played feirce games of Mario Kart, Chess, and Catan! 🎮

WEEKS 11-12

Crafting Competition and Netherworld Night!

In Week 11, we spent our Friday night crafting away, with a competition to see who could build the best and most effective catapult! Made only from paddle-pop sticks, rubber bands, tape, and one other random item lying around, teams worked together to fling deadly paper balls across the Physics tearoom. The furthest flung was our winner! 🎯
During Week 12, we had to postpone our industry night after a series of logistical setbacks. 😥 But, we were able to finish the week off strong with our trip to Netherworld in Fortitude Valley for a night of games and drinks with our members! 🍺 With everyone getting a burger, drink, and game tokens included in their tickets, we had fun playing arcade and board games. Thanks to everyone who came along and enjoy their Friday with PAIN! 🤩

WEEKS 13-SWOTVAC

Movie Night and Studying Hard!

In the final week of the teaching semester, we decided to unwind and relax with Pizza and a movie, sitting back with pizza and popcorn. 🎥 We watched "Hidden Figures", learning about the powerful story of three brilliant African-American women at NASA - Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, the brains behind one of the most important moments of American history - and the adversity and challenges they overcame. 🚀
Using their story as inspiration for our own study, we were pushed into the SWOTVAC study week with our noses burried in books! PAIN held their semesterly study day with an incredible turnout, hosting study sessions for six different subjects, with 8 dedicated sessions organised for students. Here, professors and tutors dedicated their time to answer questions and assist with exam preparation for the following weeks. A big thank you to the 10 different professors and tutors that volunteered their time to help students prepare!📚