“I want to understand how vortex pinning occurs on a microscopic level.” Oliver Stockdale was a FLEET PhD student who studied with Prof Matthew Davis and Dr Matt Reeves at the University of Queensland, following his Honours study on the non-equilibrium features of 2D superfluids, such as the exciton-polariton condensates studied in FLEET’s Research theme 2. The ‘driving’ forces that create vortices in quasi-2D BECs also relates to FLEET’s Research theme 3. Oliver’s PhD sought a theoretical understanding of the phases, dynamics, and pinning of ensembles of vortices in these superfluids, using both microscopic theory and phenomenological models. Vortex behaviour in these systems would be key to design of a future exciton-superfluid transistor.