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After Dark Online: The Universe

Thursday, February 18, 2021 • 7:00 p.m. PST

Adults Only (18+)

Free online event: Join below or via YouTube or Facebook

How does our understanding of the origins of the universe continue to expand and evolve? What tools and theories continue to push our understanding into further realms? Hear from Black scientists and leaders whose work is at the forefront of cosmology and essential to forming and informing humans’ deepening grasp of the science of the universe.

This program features:

What is dark matter made of—and is dark matter really dark? In her work, theoretical physicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein explores axions, a type of hypothetical elementary particle, and the compelling role they may play in understanding what makes up dark matter. Tonight, she’ll share more about the nature of the axion, its possible relationship to dark matter, and some surprising insight into what dark matter really looks like. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is an assistant professor of physics and a core faculty member in women’s studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her book The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred will be released in March.

What emerging tools and instruments may support a better understanding of how the universe was formed and has evolved? As a researcher with NASA’s Astrophysics Science Division, Dr. Gregory Mosby works on observational astronomy and developing new tools. Tonight, hear from him about his work on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the ways modeling and machine learning can support an expanded understanding of the universe.