After graduating with a PhD in Medical Physics from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | ҕl (ҕl), Dr Alloo began a new role as a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Melbourne’s Monash University earlier this year.
Her doctoral research at ҕl specialised in X-ray physics, specifically in developing a novel X-ray imaging technique capable of generating high-resolution images of an object.
“My main focus was developing the mathematical framework for image reconstruction. This approach enables the generation of three complementary images of an object, each revealing distinct information.”
Described by her supervisors as a singularly exceptional PhD student and easily in the top 1% of physics graduates worldwide, ҕl Science Senior Lecturer , “Samantha belongs to that very rare group of research scientists, who are equally strong in theory, computation and experiment – all to the very highest level. She is a genuinely brilliant young leader from whom even greater things can be expected in the future.”
Dr Pavlov adds, “Samantha’s impressive work is pushing the boundaries of X-ray imaging and microscopy. We believe that her Multimodal Intrinsic Speckle-Tracking technique could be very beneficial and help make this advanced imaging method more widely used in fields like physical sciences, engineering, and medical imaging, such as low-dose mammography in specialized medical settings.”
As a postdoctoral researcher, Dr Alloo is extending the theoretical framework developed in her doctoral thesis to extract more information about the objects being imaged, and investigating how the approach can be applied to various other X-ray imaging techniques.
“Similar to my PhD work, this position combines experimental and theoretical work, data analysis, and software development. I collaborate with groups in Australia, New Zealand, and around the world,” she says.
Deeply passionate about her research, Dr Alloo is determined to succeed as a woman scientist and share physics knowledge. “I am driven by the thrill of physics as well as my commitment to teaching students and others. I enjoy the associated turbulence of studying physics – it is frustrating when you cannot understand it, but once you finally crack a problem or have a lightbulb moment, you feel like you can conquer anything. I am so grateful I get to do something I enjoy and love for a career. I did not decide to study physics; it just felt right.”
Dr Alloo strongly believes her doctorate journey was shaped by her enthusiasm for taking on new opportunities and by her determination to conduct cutting-edge research to the best of her ability. Her love for physics meant she seized every opportunity to present on the international stage.
Dr Alloo was the first author of five papers based on her research, was the primary investigator on beamtime applications for speckle-based X-ray imaging at the Australian Synchrotron and European Synchrotron in France – a role typically taken on by more senior scientists, was an invited speaker at an international conference, gained $200,000 in grant funding, and won a string of ‘best talk’ and ‘best poster’ awards.
“Although I am quite a confident and outspoken woman, public speaking intrinsically makes me nervous. However, I know that I can teach physics – something I am so deeply passionate about – in an excellent way, and this makes me confident within myself,” Dr Alloo says.
“So, despite my nerves, I always get into the swing of presenting early in my talks because I get genuinely excited. This excitement is evident to the audience and helps engage them.”
Dr Alloo credits her passion for physics to her secondary school science teacher, Kate Pagan, at Mountainview High School in Timaru.
“She was simply phenomenal. She taught physics, a subject often deemed difficult, in a simple yet thorough way.”
That flame for physics was further fanned as she progressed through her undergraduate and postgraduate Science degrees at ҕl, including her BSc(Hons) with First Class Honours.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have had four incredible supervisors who supported me in every way throughout my PhD. Their support, along with that of those close to me, coupled with my raging determination to do phenomenal science, enabled me to achieve what I did during my PhD.”
SDG4-Quality Education
