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An early career researcher in the School of Physics is the only Australian recipient of an international Young Scientist Award.

Dr Stephen Parker has joined his colleagues in Physics , Research Assistant Professor Jean-Michel Le Floch and Adjunct Research Fellow Dr James Anstie as a winner of the award, which is presented only every three years by the International Union of Radio Science (Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale or URSI).

Young Scientist awards are given to recognise contributions and discoveries in research relating to electromagnetic fields and waves.  As radio science is a broad area, URSI is sub-divided into 10 scientific commissions. Dr Parker's work falls under Commission A, which covers Electromagnetic Metrology, Measurements and Standards.

His research focuses on how we can both make and measure microwave signals with very low levels of noise and then apply these tools and techniques to testing fundamental aspects of physics.

The work ranges from studying and characterising microwave noise in a single component to developing new systems to measure microwave noise and improving the performance and understanding of UWA's world-leading technology, the cryogenic sapphire oscillator.

This is a remarkable device that generates a microwave signal with exquisitely low levels of noise - the frequency only fluctuates at the 16th decimal place.

One of his main experiments, performed in collaboration with the Humboldt University of Berlin, uses a comparison of two cryogenic sapphire oscillators to make one of the most precise measurements of the isotropy, or consistency, of the speed of light, which is a fundamental component of modern physics.

"My research is an exciting and rewarding experience in itself," Dr Parker said. "Receiving this award is a great bonus and honour."

His former PhD supervisor, Professor Michael Tobar , said Dr Parker was a hard-working and talented physicist. "Despite having a young family he still manages to drive significant collaborative international programs that use precision measurement to test fundamental physics. He is very well deserving of this award," he said.