Astro@UCLA: The Next Generation

A glimpse into the future of astronomical discovery with 2020 Nobel Prize Winner Andrea Ghez, UCLA Astronomy’s newest faculty.

UCLA astronomers, among them recent Nobel prize winner Andrea Ghez, are leading the way with ground-breaking discoveries on a vast scale – from planets to stars to galaxies to the entirety of the universe.

This webinar – presented on Nov. 18, 2020 – gave viewers a glimpse into the future of astronomical discovery featuring UCLA Astronomy’s newest faculty with remarks by 2020 Nobel Prize Winner Andrea Ghez.

This is truly an amazing moment for astronomical discovery. New worlds are being uncovered around other stars. Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity is facing new tests near the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. Precise measurements of the expansion rate of the universe are challenging our notions of the standard model of cosmology. UCLA Astronomy’s newest faculty members Tuan Do, Smadar Naoz, Erik Petigura, and Tommaso Treu highlighted the latest research results from their home department at UCLA.

Tuan Do, Assistant Professor: Find out about the discovery of a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy and how recent observations will reveal new insights into the nature of gravity and the growth of black holes.

Smadar Naoz, Associate Professor and Howard and Astrid Preston Term Chair in Astrophysics: Hear how recent detections of gravitational-wave signals have raised new questions about how black holes collide, which may transform our understanding of the universe.

Erik Petigura, Assistant Professor: Learn about efforts to unravel the origin, evolution, and fate of exoplanets (planets orbiting stars other than the sun), aided by powerful ground- and space-based telescopes.

Tommaso Treu, Professor: Explore the mysterious properties of dark matter and energy, invisible forms that make up 95% of our universe and create foundations upon which galaxies can be built.

Presented Nov. 18, 2020.