The future study of large datasets, consisting of hundreds of millions to billions 
of objects, will be dominated by large computing resources, and by analysis tools 
of the necessary scalability and sophistication to extract useful information.
Astronomy data are no exception to this trend, and will require significant effort
to fulfil their potential as a provider of the next generation of science results.
To-date, computing systems have allowed either sophisticated analysis of small data 
sets, e.g., most astronomy software, or simple analysis of large datasets, e.g.,
database

I'll start with a quick review of the many areas of physics which pulsars help us 
explore. Then I'll describe the typical current (and expected future) observing 
modes for pulsars (transitioning from single dishes to interferometers (EVLA, ASKAP, 
MeerKat, SKA, Lofar).  Finally, I'll report on a project to use artificial 
intelligence to help find pulsars, with an introduction to the principles of machine 
learning, and a presentation of some of our recent results.

Hundreds of extra-solar planetary systems are known now, most confirmed or detected
by the Doppler reflex motion of the primary star. The development of digital
detectors and more powerful spectrographs in the 1970s improved the precision of
radial velocity measurements by orders of magnitude making it possible to detect
such tiny reflexes. In 1978 Bruce Campbell and I successfully introduced hydrogen
fluoride into the telescope beam of the DAO 1.2-m telescope to act as a wavelength
fiducial.

Accretion disks and jets are ubiquitous astrophysical phenomena. Given the potential feedback between supermassive black holes and galaxy evolution, understanding the physics of accretion discs and relativistic radio jets around Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) has gained increased motivation; however, the outbursts of AGN likely last millions of years.

We currently know of more than 500 extrasolar planets orbiting a variety of different host stars. These stars almost always represent the only visible component in the system, they are the dominant energy source for the orbiting planets, and they influence every aspect of planetary physics and evolution. Most astrophysical parameters of extrasolar planets are actually functions of equivalent stellar parameters, whose values are not always accurately known. The importance of "understanding the parent stars" cannot be overstated in the quest of exoplanet exploration.

Using the Parkes radio telescope, we have been searching for pulsars and fast transients within the High Time Resolution Universe survey since November 2008. With a higher time and frequency resolution than the earlier Parkes surveys, we are able to probe deeper into the Galactic plane for short duration signals. Still underway, the survey has so far revealed over a hundred previously unknown sources. I will give an update on the survey status and present some of the more interesting objects discovered, including a radio magnetar and the "diamond planet" pulsar.

The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey is currently a 144-square-degree multi-wavelength survey including optical spectra being collected at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). I will present some of my work to date with the GAMA survey, characterising the lowest star-forming systems in the sample - the little blue fuzzies. I will then outline how GAMA is ideally placed to answer questions remaining about the evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) - massive red monsters.

The formation of planetary systems is intimately connected to the properties of the circumstellar disks in which they are born. Disk studies to date have focused on regions like Taurus and Ophiuchus for their proximity, however, stars rarely form in such isolated environments. Most stars form in massive star forming regions and there is even clear evidence that our Sun formed near an OB association like that found in Orion. Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA), we surveyed 67 protoplanetary disks ("proplyds") at 850 microns in the Orion Nebula to determine their masses.

The regularity in the shape of dark matter profiles is one of the most robust predictions of hierarchical structure formation in the LCDM paradigm. Drawing a meaningful comparison between N-body simulations and observations requires understanding how baryonic physics affects the distribution of dark matter in galaxies. Accurately modeling the shape of galaxy profiles is also very important for estimating the rates for direct and indirect detection of dark matter.

Super-Earths are solid planets more massive than Earth but less massive than ice giants like Neptune. There are no analogues for this type of planet in our own Solar System but ground- and spacebased exoplanet searches started turning up super-Earths a few years ago.