The Della Pietra Lecture Series is pleased to present Dr. Adam Riess, Astrophysicist and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Riess is widely known for his research in using supernovae as cosmological probes and shared both the 2006 Shaw Prize in Astronomy and the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics with Saul Perlmutter and Brian P. Schmidt for providing evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.
General Public Lecture, Monday August 5, 2019 at 5:45 pm, Simons Center Della Pietra Family Auditorium (Reception at 5:00pm)
Title: Supernovae and the Discovery of the Accelerating Universe
Abstract: In 1929 Edwin Hubble discovered that our Universe is expanding. Eighty years later, the Space Telescope which bears his name is being used to study an even more surprising phenomenon, that the expansion is speeding up. The origin of this effect is not known, but is broadly attributed to a type of “dark energy” first posited to exist by Albert Einstein and now dominating the mass-energy budget of the Universe. I will describe how our team discovered the acceleration of the Universe and why understanding the nature of dark energy presents one of the greatest remaining challenges in astrophysics and cosmology. I will also discuss new evidence that the Universe may be even more interesting than recently believed.
Technical talk for Faculty and Advanced Graduate Students (in conjunction with the Simons Summer Workshop): Tuesday August 6 at 2:00pm.
Title: The Expansion of the Universe, Faster Than We Thought
All of these lectures have been made possible by a generous donation from the Della Pietra family. The Della Pietra Lecture Series aims to bring world-renowned scientists to the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics to enhance the intellectual activity of the Center and also bring greater awareness of recent and impactful discoveries in Physics and Mathematics to the Long Island community.
For more information visit our website or call 631-632-2800.
