Other Events, 2018
 
EFI seminar: Nahee Park, University of Wisconsin, "Probing high energy particle dynamics in our Galaxy with multimessenger observations"
March 14, 2018 | 2:00 PM | PRC 201
Cosmic rays, high energy particles originating from outside of the solar system, are believed to be dominated by particles from our Galaxy at least up to the energy of 10^15 eV. Since their discovery in 1912, the origin, acceleration, and propagation of these high energy particles have remained as open questions. In the last few years, new results from space-borne experiments, such as the rise of the positron flux and hardening of the light nuclei, have begun to challenge our understanding of these particles. Complementing this, indirect observations of the cosmic rays via very high energy gamma rays have started to shed light on the various particle accelerators in our Galaxy with discoveries of over a hundred Galactic sources. With the recent detection of astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube, the first unequivocal view of pure hadronic accelerators in our Universe became available. I will present what we have learned about the acceleration of high energy particles with gamma-ray observations based on the Galactic gamma-ray measurements from the VERITAS experiment, an imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope. I will show what we can learn from the future neutrino experiment IceCube Gen-2 and the future gamma-ray observatory CTA. Finally, I will highlight how these multimessenger observations come together to lead us toward a more coherent and complete picture of high energy particles in our Galaxy.

Related Links:
KICP Members: Nahee Park
Scientific projects: Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS)

 
Speak Up for Science
April 14, 2018 | 1:00 PM | Field Museum, Chicago
Picture: Speak Up for Science
Website

Speak Up for Science! On Saturday April 14, The Field Museum is holding a science fair and rally to advocate for science, its advancement, and its protection. Share your voice with legislators and demonstrate how important science is in your life. The Museum is offering free basic admission to Illinois residents all day. Soapbox Science Chicago, an outreach group led by Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Maria Weber, will be on hand at the Community Science Fair. Soapbox Science is an international effort to champion women in STEM by helping them to share their message and work with the public through conversation and scientific debate.
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2018 Brinson Lecture: Richard Ellis, "Let There Be Light: The Observational Quest for the First Galaxies"
May 17, 2018 | 6:00 PM | School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 112 South Michigan Ave., MacLean Ballroom
Picture: 2018 Brinson Lecture: Richard Ellis, Let There Be Light: The Observational Quest for the First Galaxies
Richard Ellis, 2018 Brinson Lecturer
Richard Ellis is Professor of Astrophysics at the University College London. Until recently he was the Steele Professor of Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He was awarded the 2011 Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. Ellis works primarily in observational cosmology, considering the origin and evolution of galaxies, the evolution of large scale structure in the universe, and the nature and distribution of dark matter. He worked on the Morphs collaboration studying the formation and morphologies of distant galaxies. Particular interests include applications using gravitational lensing and high-redshift supernovae. He was a member of the Supernova Cosmology Project whose leader, Saul Perlmutter, shared the 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics for the team's surprising discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe. His most recent discoveries relate to searches for the earliest known galaxies, seen when the Universe was only a few percent of its present age.

2018 Brinson Lecture: "Let There Be Light: The Observational Quest for the First Galaxies"
Video
The first billion years after the Big Bang is widely regarded as the final observational frontier in assembling a complete picture of cosmic history. During this period early stars and galaxies formed and the Universe became bathed in light for the first time. Hydrogen clouds in the space inbetween galaxies transformed from an atomic gas to a fully ionized medium consisting of detached protons and electrons. How and when did this 'cosmic reionization' occurred and were early star-forming galaxies the primary agents? Recent progress has raised the exciting prospect that we will soon be able to directly witness this dramatic period when the Universe emerged from darkness and the first galaxies began to shine. Professor Ellis will review the rapid progress being made with current facilities, and the prospects with upcoming ones, including the James Webb Space Telescope and extremely large ground-based telescopes now under construction. The motivation is fundamental: the origin of starlight begins the process of chemical evolution which ultimately leads to our own existence in this remarkable Universe.

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

 
"On the Future: Prospects for Humanity" with physicist Martin Rees
October 2, 2018 | 6:00 PM | Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library
Picture: On the Future: Prospects for Humanity with physicist Martin Rees
Prof. Martin Rees
Website

World-renowned scientist Martin Rees offers his look at the future of humanity and science in this talk based upon his new book On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Rees argues that humanity's future is bound to the future of science, and our prospects hinge on how successfully we harness technological advances to address the challenges to our collective future. If we are to use science to solve our problems while avoiding its dystopian risks, Rees shows how we must think rationally, globally, collectively, and optimistically about the long-term future. Advances in biotechnology, cybertechnology, robotics, and artificial intelligence - if pursued and applied wisely- could empower us to boost the developing and developed world and overcome the threats humanity faces on Earth, from climate change to nuclear war. Rees offers fascinating insights into cutting-edge science and technology while providing a unique perspective on the critical issues that will define the future of humanity on Earth and beyond.

Presented in collaboration with the Chicago Public Library.

Doors to the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium open at 5 p.m. and seating is available first come, first served. The event is free but registration is recommended. Books are available for purchase from Seminary Co-op Books and the author will autograph books at the conclusion of the program.
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Inaugural John A. Simpson lecture: Martin H. Israel, Washington University, "What Rare Isotopes and Rare Elements Tell Us About the Origin of Cosmic Rays"
October 30, 2018 | 4:00 PM | PRC 201
Picture: Inaugural John A. Simpson lecture: Martin H. Israel, Washington University, What Rare Isotopes and Rare Elements Tell Us About the Origin of Cosmic Rays
Martin H. Israel, Washington University
The Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) on the ACE spacecraft uses instrumentation pioneered by John Simpson. The long working life of this instrument, now over 21 years, has enabled identification of extremely rare components of the cosmic rays, notably 60Fe. The short half-life of this isotope, just 2.6 million years, points to cosmic rays originating from relatively recent and nearby supernovae. Measurements of the rare elements with atomic number Z > 30, both with CRIS and with a large instrument (SuperTIGER) on high-altitude balloon flights give further constraints on where in our Galaxy cosmic rays are accelerated.

 
Physics colloquium: Helen Quinn, "Science, Engineering and Art as well - why is it hard to teach Science well?"
November 8, 2018 | 4:00 PM | MGM Lecture Hall, KPTC 106
The Physics department launched the annual Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture series last year and today will have the 2nd lecture. The speaker, Helen Quinn, is a world renowned particle theorist and educator. She will give a talk on K-12 science education at 4pm. This will be followed by a panel discussion at 4pm on "How University Communities Can Support K-12 Science Education".

Agenda:
* 3:30 pm - Opening Ceremony of the Spark Chamber (in front of the Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture Hall, KPTC 106)
* 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture by Helen Quinn "Science, Engineering and Art as well - why is it hard to teach Science well?" (MGM Lecture Hall)
* 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Panel Discussion "How University Communities Can Support K-12 Science Education" (MGM Lecture Hall)
* 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Reception (KPTC 206)

About Maria Goeppert-Mayer
Theoretical physicist who developed the nuclear shell model while at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago from 1946 to 1959. She received the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physics for her "discoveries concerning nuclear shell structure".

About Helen Quinn
Helen Quinn, SLAC, is a particle theorist and science educator. Helen's honors include the Dirac Medal, the Oskar Klein Medal, the Sakurai Prize, the Karl Taylor Compton Medal, and the Benjamin Franklin Medal. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences and the American Physical Society. She was President of the American Physical Society in 2004. She has been focusing on K-12 science education in the recent years and she would like to give a talk on this subject. As Chair of the Board on Science Education of the National Academy of Sciences, she led the effort that produced A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas - the basis for the next generation science standards adopted by many states.