RASC Mississauga: The Discovery of Gravitational Waves

Get an up-close and personal take on the Gravitational Waves discovery that has changed science for the better. Considered the most influential discovery of the century, gravitational wave GW150914 broke records in physics, astronomy, and interferometry - with still more to come. We will talk about what went into the Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) that discovered GW150914 from theoretical, engineering, and computer simulation viewpoints, and discuss the outlooks on the future of gravitational wave astronomy.

Catherine Woodford is a 2nd year PhD candidate in the Physics Department at the University of Toronto and works in the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA). Her research falls into two streams: binary black hole simulations and exoplanet simulations. She is a member of the Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes (SXS) collaboration and the Centre for Planetary Sciences (CPS), as well as a planetarium operator for the Dunlap Institute and outreach fanatic. When she's not thinking or looking at the sky and what lies beyond, she's volunteering with the Rotaract Club of Toronto, cycling, running, and snowboarding.

Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Reservations: Not required
Organized by: RASC - Mississauga Centre
Location: University of Toronto Mississauga, William Davis Building, Lecture Hall SE2074, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON  L5L 1C6. Enter off Mississauga Road. Park in lot 4 or the parkade across from the fitness centre south of the Davis Building. Enter through the Fitness centre, walk up the stairs until you reach the main corridor then turn right. (If you need an elevator, follow the corridor to the right of the stairs, then go up to the main floor.) Look for the Mississauga Centre sign in front of the lecture room.

http://earthshineastronomy.ca/events/2017/9/22/rasc-mississauga-centre-meeting-september-22