We have all had moments of wonder when looking up at the stars. Such a complex and unknown universe illuminated above us. There is a sense of mystery and fascination because we know there is more. Much more. So much darkness in between all those shining stars. Everything hanging together, kept in place – or sent shooting across the universe. What actually is all that darkness – and what keeps everything in place in our universe?
Someone very special would have to take on the task of contributing to the answers to these fundamental questions which have captivated humanity’s curiosity for centuries. That person would have to move across the world to work in underground laboratories away from the activity and light of the sun. They would need to be able to decipher complex mathematical equations and decode a language that only the initiated would understand.
We are not talking James Bond, Einstein, or Hawking. The name to remember is Barberio. Elisabetta Barberio.
Professor Elisabetta Barberio is known globally as having initiated the first program focussed on the direct detection of dark matter in Australia. Elisabetta is, simply, a dark matter expert and she is as complex and fascinating as her own subject expertise.
Originally from San Giovanni in Fiore, nestled in the beautiful mountains of La Sila in Calabria, Elisabetta was known as a curious child. She is proud of her origins, stating she is “nata cresciuta e pasciuta in Calabria” (born, bred and nurtured).
In fact, Elisabetta attributes her own resilience and determination in the search for dark matter as characteristic of the people of the area in which she was raised. She calls it being testadura. This trait is something she also saw in her mother who raised her and her brother when her father passed away when they were young children.
Her father was a medical doctor, who specialised in paediatrics and oversaw the school health program in the area. Her mother taught maths and physics at a local school. This provided the young Elisabetta with access to an array of books and stimulating dinner table conversations which fostered her inquisitive nature.
Elisabetta speaks fondly of her time growing up in the Cosenza area. La Sila was peculiar as its mountain and forest beauty drew a community from all over Italy and Europe and this was formative to her childhood. Also, her curiosity in physics and maths proved foundational to her eventual career pathway.
In fact, those around her noted that the young Elisabetta tackled formulas and problems in her own unique way – perhaps her ultimate career pathway was not such a surprise to those who knew her then. Nor how pivotal having a good dose of being testadura has been to ensuring she has remained on track to contribute to the field of dark matter in Australia and globally.
Interestingly, the young Elisabetta had determined to follow a career in veterinary science. However, two conversations changed her mind – the first was her mother who explained that she would be required to attend to more than fluffy kittens and big, brown-eyed dogs. The second occurred at a lecture in astrophysics. The first was a reality check. The second, an invitation to take a risk – and explore the universe.
Elisabetta says she is a risk-taker by nature. She decided to embark on studies that allowed her to follow her curiosity – and her passion for physics. On completing her studies at the prestigious Bologna University she took up a position at CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research located in Geneva. Whilst working on particle research she also undertook her Doctor of Philosophy in Germany and her post-doctoral in Israel.
At CERN, she was part of the team undertaking an analysis in the OPAL experiment at Large Electron Positron Collider. Precision measurements made at this collider led to the discovery of the Higgs boson particle, the one that Stephen Hawking dubbed the “God” particle. Moreover, the measurements that were performed provided a breakthrough moment in giving a more accurate understanding of particle behaviour, advancing the study of dark matter.
Following her sense of adventure and inquisitiveness, Elisabetta was enticed to Australia. She is now the Director for the Australian Research Centre (ARC) Centre for Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics at the University of Melbourne. There she leads a formidable team who are focussed on one thing – dark matter. They all have a complex task which involves developing the technical capabilities to capture the behaviour of dark matter. Also, through the use of a highly sophisticated apparatus containing chemical crystals, to monitor any ‘scintillations’ which might provide critical insights into dark matter behaviour.
Elisabetta explains that understanding dark matter and the effect on objects in the universe “is extremely important. It will help us understand who we are, our place or role in the universe”.
The search to understand dark matter means the professore is often found in an underground laboratory which has been especially constructed, in all things, a section of an operating gold mine in Stawell (a small town in regional Victoria). The Australian laboratory has been specifically constructed and set up to provide insights into dark matter, and dark matter behaviour. The location of the laboratory is critical as it may detect dark matter behaviour that may be different to the behaviour picked up in a key northern hemisphere laboratory. Specifically, the DAMA/LIBRA buried under the Gran Sasso in Abruzzo, the highest mountain in the Apennines in Italy.
To get to the laboratory, she and her team need to don steel-capped boots, helmet, masks and other protective gear and equipment, such as an oxybox which is strapped to her hip and would provide oxygen in case there is an emergency. They then travel 9 kilometres in a special vehicle to the facility underground. From below the earth’s surface, she leads the work that adopts a direct detention method.
Elisabetta will tell you that dark matter is elusive, despite experimental evidence that it exists – and that it interacts with gravity. It is thought to make up 85% of all matter in existence. Yet remains a modern mystery. What it is and how it impacts the way we interact with the world is the critical question. One that she and her team have embarked on resolving.
The work has gained attention globally, and locally. The work of the Centre has captured the imagination of the community in Stawell and neighbouring areas,
the secondary school in Avoca now has a physics teacher because young people want to study the field. We host lectures and events and the research captivates people’s curiosity. They come to understand the practical application of physics. The local area has been amazing in its support and interest. I understand that there has been an increase in students choosing to study physics and maths – and retention in the subjects is higher.
Elisabetta is aware that she is a role model in society, especially to young people who might be influenced to follow in her footsteps.
As a woman in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) she is often asked about the advice she would give to others. She shares her own mantra, “do what you do with passion. Enjoy what you do so that it never feels like work. And, be testadura about it. It means that you will not be deterred by obstacles. This trait has helped me a lot. I recommend it”.
For the time being, dark matter remains elusive. However, thanks to Elisabetta and her dedicated colleagues, we are closer to unlocking a few more clues to the universe.
[If you are interested in finding out more about dark matter and the Stawell Laboratory: The Absurd Search for Dark Matter on YouTube]
