Rate My Professor Peter McCabe

Peter McCabe serves as the Head Electronics Technician and Health & Safety Officer in the Department of Physics at the University of Otago. In this essential role, he leads the electronics workshop, offering specialized technical expertise to support cutting-edge research, complex laboratory experiments, and undergraduate teaching activities within the department. Located in Room 422, McCabe ensures that all electronic instruments and setups function reliably, while also upholding stringent health and safety protocols to protect department members.

McCabe has actively contributed to high-profile research expeditions, demonstrating his technical prowess in challenging environments. Notably, in late 2011, he participated in Expedition 4 to Antarctica alongside Dr. James Brundell, where they tested and deployed collapsible very low frequency (VLF) antennas for the AARDDVARK network. This global array monitors space weather events, such as particle precipitation from solar activity. McCabe also repaired the AARDDVARK radio receiver, enabling continued data collection. His invaluable support extends to doctoral research; he is gratefully acknowledged in multiple University of Otago PhD theses for electronics fabrication, instrument repair, and workshop assistance in fields including coherent microwave-to-optical frequency conversion and optical rephasing with rare earth ion dopants for quantum applications. Supervised by Dr. Romain Meyrand, McCabe's work underpins the department's success in experimental physics.