SEMINAR 2023
Listening to Cosmic Symphonies above the Quantum Din
| Speaker | Prof Nergis Mavalvala, Marble Professor of Physics and Dean, School of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA |
| Host | Anjan Soumyanarayanan |
| Date/Time | Thursday, 19 January 2023, 3 PM |
| Location | Physics Conference Room (S11-02-07) |
| Registration Link | https://forms.office.com/r/cBpHcQZQUh |
Abstract
The first direct detections of gravitational waves in 2015 launched a new era of gravitational wave astrophysics. I will describe the scientific and human story behind these discoveries that provide a window into some of the most violent and warped events in the Universe. To detect these spacetime ripples requires measurement with sub-attometer precision. I will highlight the quantum technologies that make such a measurement possible, enabling present and future discoveries.
Biography
Nergis Mavalvala PhD ’97 is the Dean of the MIT School of Science and the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics. Her research focuses on the detection of gravitational waves from violent events in the cosmos that warp and ripple the fabric of space-time. She is part of the team that in early 2016 announced the first direct detection of gravitational waves from colliding black holes using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, ushering in a new era in astrophysics. Mavalvala has also conducted experiments in the optical trapping and cooling of mirrors to enable observation of quantum phenomena in macroscopic objects. She is the recipient of a 2010 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. Mavalvala earned a BA in physics and astronomy from Wellesley College and a PhD in physics from MIT.