Special Campus Program: Einstein, Gravitational Waves and Black Holes

More than a hundred years ago, Einstein predicted that there were ripples in the fabric of space-time traveling at the speed of light: gravitational waves.

On September 14, 2015, the LIGO detectors in Hanford, Washington and Livingston, Louisiana in the U.S. registered for the first time ever a loud gravitational wave signal traveling through Earth, created more than a billion years ago by the merger of two black holes. A few months later, in December 2015, another signal, also from black holes, was detected, and a third one was more recently found on January 4, 2017.

These observations mark the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy. Dr. Gabriela González, from the Louisiana State University for the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the Virgo Collaboration, will describe the history and details of the observations, and the gravity-bright future of the field.

This free, public event is in the Beckman Auditorium and is open to all as part of the Amaldi 12 conference. No tickets or reservations are required. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis; early arrival is recommended. More information here.

The first 20 President's Circle Associates and Board Members who RSVP will receive reserved VIP seating.

Please RSVP to Cathy Axibal-Cordero at [email protected] or (626) 395-1335.