JCU > Research Portfolio > Prof Ron White

About

Ron White is Node Director and Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies (CAMS). He is Theme 3 Leader within CAMS focussed on the application of positrons in biology and medicine.

More broadly Ron White's group is focussed on the modelling and simulation of non-equilibrium transport processes of charged particles in gases, soft-condensed and disordered materials.

Ron is also a member of the Rapid Assessment Joint Venture between JCU and DAAF (formerly Department of Primary Industries) focussed on the non-invasive assessment of food qualilty and security.

Teaching

PH2002: Classical Mechanics and Quantum Physics 1 (Level 2; TSV)
PH3008: Statistical Mechanics and Transport (Level 3; CNS & TSV)
PH5010: Directed Study (Level 5; TSV)
PH5020: Special Study A (Level 5; TSV)
PH5021: Special Study B (Level 5; TSV)
PH5022: Special Study C (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

Charge transport in organic materials for application in organic opto-electronics and organic solar cells.
Modelling of Positron Emission Tomography
Modelling radiation damage from ionizing radiation
Low-temperature plasma discharge modelling and plasma accelerators
Swarm physics
NIR spectroscopy for food quality and security

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

Ahmad V, Sobus J, Greenberg M, Shukla A, Philippa B, Pivrikas A, Vamvounis G, White R, Lo S and Namdas E (2020) Charge and exciton dynamics of OLEDs under high voltage nanosecond pulse: towards injection lasing. Nature Communications, 11, Article: 4310, DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-18094-4.
Sexton J, Everingham Y, Donald D, Staunton S and White R (2020) Investigating the identification of atypical sugarcane using NIR analysis of online mill data. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 168, Article: 105111, DOI:10.1016/j.compag.2019.105111.
Blanco F, Garcia G, McEachran R, Stokes P, White R and Brunger M (2019) Positron scattering from gas-phase beryllium and magnesium: theory, recommended cross sections, and transport simulations. Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data, 48 (3), Article: 033103, DOI:10.1063/1.5115353.
Boyle G, Casey M, Cocks D, White R and Carman R (2019) Thermalisation time of electron swarms in xenon for uniform electric fields. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 28 (3), Article: 035009, DOI:10.1088/1361-6595/ab0360.
Campbell L, Jones D, White R, García G, Ingólfsson O, Lopes M and Brunger M (2019) Interaction of photoionisation and meteoric input in the atmosphere of Jupiter. The European Physical Journal D, 73 (12), Article: 252, DOI:10.1140/epjd/e2019-100466-y.
Casey M, Cocks D, Boyle G, Brunger M, Dujko S, De Urquijo J and White R (2019) Thermal induced NDC of electron swarms in N-2 and N-2-like gases: the role of temperature and collision operator approximations. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 28 (11), Article: 115005, DOI:10.1088/1361-6595/ab4b96.
Costa F, Álvarez L, Lozano A, Blanco F, Oller J, Muñoz A, Souza Barbosa A, Bettega M, Ferreira da Silva F, Limño-Vieira P, White R, Brunger M and García G (2019) Experimental and theoretical analysis for total electron scattering cross sections of benzene. Journal of Chemical Physics, 151 (8), Article: 084310, DOI:10.1063/1.5116076.
de Urquijo J, Casey M, Serkovic-Loli L, Cocks D, Boyle G, Jones D, Brunger M and White R (2019) Assessment of the self-consistency of electron-THF cross sections using electron swarm techniques: Mixtures of THF-Ar and THF-N-2. Journal of Chemical Physics, 151 (5), Article: 054309, DOI:10.1063/1.5108619.
Olsen A, Konovalov D, Philippa B, Ridd P, Wood J, Johns J, Banks W, Girgenti B, Kenny O, Whinney J, Calvert B, Rahimi Azghadi M and White R (2019) DeepWeeds: a multiclass weed species image dataset for deep learning. Scientific Reports, 9, Article: 2058, DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-38343-3.
Sanderson S, Philippa B, Vamvounis G, Burn P and White R (2019) Elucidating the effects of guest-host energy level alignment on charge transport in phosphorescent OLEDs. Applied Physics Letters, 115, Article: 263301, DOI:10.1063/1.5131680.
Sanderson S, Philippa B, Vamvounis G, Burn P and White R (2019) Understanding charge transport in Ir(ppy)₃:CBP OLED films. Journal of Chemical Physics, 150 (9), Article: 094110, DOI:10.1063/1.5083639.
Simonovic I, Garland N, Bosnjakovic D, Petrovic Z, White R and Dujko S (2019) Electron transport and negative streamers in liquid xenon. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 28 (1), DOI:10.1088/1361-6595/aaf968.

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 171+ research outputs authored by Prof Ron White from 2000 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Food Agility CRC Limited - Contract Research

Food Agility Biosecurity Constellation

Indicative Funding: $210,000 over 3 years
Summary: Constellations are clusters of projects grouped within a theme, Biosecurity, which are led by a Constellation Leader, JCU, who also has the experience and capabilities to contribute to the research within that theme. A Constellation has been between Food Agility and JCU based on a theme which demonstrates potential for multiple, related research projects with the potential for multiple industries and partners to participate over time.
Investigators: Davi La Ferla, Ron White and Yvette Everingham (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Biosecurity; Environmental Health; Environmental management; Disease; Public Health; Invasives

Australian Research Council - Discovery - Projects

Positrons in biosystems

Indicative Funding: $185,090 over 3 years (administered by Australian National University)
Summary: This project aims to improve our understanding of the damage processes in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). PET is a widely used medical imaging technique, but there are gaps in our understanding of the underlying interactions, in particular in the case of the radiation damage induced during the process. By using new models incorporating accurate descriptions of interactions processes, verified by experimental measurement, this project will develop a new model of positron transport in PET. The project will allow validation of predictions from the model by undertaking experiments in liquid water.
Investigators: James Sullivan, Ron White, Michael Brunger, Daniel Cocks and Joshua Machacek in collaboration with Gustavo Garcia and Jimena Gorfinkiel (Australian National University, College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University, Spanish National Research Council and The Open University (UK))
Keywords: positrons; Transport; biological matter

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - National Landcare Programme

Applying new image recognition techniques for automatic detection and spraying of Harrisia cactus

Indicative Funding: $50,000 over 2 years
Summary: harrisia cactus is a significant rangeland weed in Queensland and bnorthern NSW. It competes against native species, inhibits stock accdess and endangers wildlife. JCU have developed image recognition software to identify Harrisia cactus in pasture; which has been deployed on a prototype robotic platform for selective spot spraying. This proect will see the development of a new spraying unit incorporating JCU's developed technology with a vehicle provided by Warrakirri Cropping. The unit will then be used to treat 500 ha of infested pasture at Warrakirri's "Willaroo" property. Its performance will be compared to traditional methods and showcased to local landholders.
Investigators: Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi, Brendan Calvert, Ron White and James Whinney in collaboration with Bill Manning, Matt West and Alex Olsen (College of Science & Engineering, North West Local Land Services, Warrakirri Cropping and Autoweed Pty Ltd)
Keywords: weed control; Harrisia cactus (sp.); deep learning; Robotics

CRC for Developing Northern Australia Scheme - Projects

Applying new technologies to enhance biosecurity and cattle quality

Indicative Funding: $1,084,500 over 3 years (administered by Branir Pty Ltd & Trustee for Booloomani Unit Trust)
Summary: The vast natural environment of Northern Australia feeds the cattle industry; however, biosecurity threats have negatively impacted this. Conventional management of such threats such as weeds are not suited to such broad, harsh landscapes. The project will use an Internet of Things network with low-cost environmental sensors, drone mapping and big data analytics to develop and test data-driven, strategic pest management programs - ultimately improving both cattle industry and natural assets.
Investigators: Ian Atkinson, Wei Xiang, Ron White, Stephanie Duce, Mohan Jacob and Karen Joyce (Research Infrastructure and College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Biosecurity; Cattle; Drones; Weeds; Technology; Internet Of Things

Australian Research Council - Discovery - Projects

Electron scattering and transport for plasma-liquid interactions

Indicative Funding: $595,120 over 3 years
Summary: The project addresses the emerging technologies associated with the interaction of plasmas with liquids and biological matter, including plasma medicine. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the role of electron-induced processes through the development of complete and accurate sets of microscopic cross- sections for electrons with biomolecules within tissue. This microscopic data will inform new microscopic models for non equilibrium electron transport in liquids and biological matter, and its coupling to plasmas. The expected outcomes of this project include progress towards the optimization of safety/efficacy of future generation plasma medicine devices through detailed understanding of plasma-biological tissue interactions.
Investigators: Ron White and Michael Brunger in collaboration with Zoran Petrovic and Jaime de Urquijo (College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University, Univerzitet u Beogradu and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico)
Keywords: plasma medicine; Transport Theory; scattering

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - Control Tools and Technologies for Established Pest Animals and Weeds Programme

Improving the accuracy of weed killing robots with new image processing algorithms and near infra-red spectroscopy techniques

Indicative Funding: $271,772 over 2 years
Summary: Automated weed species recognition remains a major obstacle to the development and industry acceptance of robotic weed control technology. Particular problems occur in rangeland applications, including high light variability and weed-camera distance variability, which cause camera dynamic range problems, image blurring, and occlusion by other plants. This project aims to develop robust image recognition systems combined with Near Infra-Red spectroscopic methods for these complex rangeland environments with special emphasis on the broad-acre grazing pastures in North Queensland. The developed imaging systems will be suitable for all weed killing applications with particular emphasis given to foliar spot-spraying and Herbicide Ballistic Technologies.
Investigators: Ron White, Bronson Philippa, Alex Olsen and Owen Kenny in collaboration with Brett Wedding, Michael Graham, Carole Wright and Stephen Grauf (College of Science & Engineering, QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Forestry)
Keywords: Weed; Near-Infra-Red; Robotics; Image Analysis

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

Thermal Conductivity of Low-dimensional Out-of-equilibrium Quantum Systems: Theoretically Describing Thermal Transport in Semiconductor Nanowires. (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Non-Adiabatic Quantum Transport and Atomic Motion in Molecular-Sized Electronic Systems (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Identifying Thematic Groups of Natural World Heritage Properties to inform the Climate Vulnerability Index (Masters , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Towards Nanodosimetry: Low-Energy Electron Processes and Transport in Biological Tissue (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Modelling of Radiation Secondary Elecgtron Transport and Damage in Human Tissue. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Monte Carlo simulation of highly non-equilibrium electron and ion transport in plasma medicine. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
An Extensive Investigation of the Ir92 Flexisource, TG186 Report and Collapsed Cone Convolution/Superposition Algorithm for Use Brachytherapy. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Monte-Carlo Modelling of Charge Transport in Heterogeneous Organic Semiconductors (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Keldysh-Langevin Approach to the Dynamics in Molecular Electronic Junctions (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Graphene based supercapacitors from renewable sources (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Seasonal water transports in Ambon Bay of eastern Indonesia and their influences on marine pollution (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Smart Organic Solar Cell Windows using Photochromic Materials: Theory and Experiment (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Parallel and Scalable Neural Network Algorithms (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Time-dependent phenomena and electron-vibration interactions for molecular junctions. (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Synthesis and device characterisation of polymers for solar cells. (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Plasma-based synthesis and surface modification of graphene (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

Statistical data mining algorithms for optimising analysis of spectroscopic data from on-line NIR mill systems (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Fluctuation statistics and non-renewal behavior in nanoscale quantum transport (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Turbidity and light attenuation in coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Spatial and temporal water quality changes during a large scale dredging operation (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Local feature analysis using higher-order Riesz transforms (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
The non-invasive assessment of avocado maturity and quality (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Electron transport modeling in gas and liquid media for application in plasma medicine (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Improving the accuracy of weed species detection for robotic weed control in complex real-time environments (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Anomalous charged-particle transport in organic and soft-condensed matter (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor)

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.