To contact the CAS President, Fritz (Frederick E.) Repich, complete the form below.
-
The Restless Universe
and its Cosmic Fireworks
Dr. Poonam Chandra
Next CAS Meeting - Sept 3 at 7 pm
Leander McCormick Observatory
-
Abstract: The universe is anything but calm. From the explosive deaths of massive stars to the cataclysmic collisions of neutron stars, the cosmos is constantly erupting in spectacular displays of energy. These brief but brilliant events not only light up the night sky, but also forge the elements we are made of, ripple spacetime itself, and reveal secrets about the life cycles of stars and the fabric of the universe. In this talk, we’ll journey through a restless cosmos, exploring how astronomers use light, radio waves, X-rays, and even gravitational waves to catch these fleeting phenomena in action, which provide a clue in our quest to understand the ever-changing universe we call home.
-
CV: An Astronomer currently working at NRAO, she completed her Ph.D. at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India under the Joint Astronomy Program, India. She was later a Jansky Postdoctoral Fellow of the NRAO at UVA (2005 -2008). Since 2008 she was a Senior Research Associate and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada until 2012. Afterwards Poonam was at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR), Pune, India for 10 years as a faculty (Reader and Associate Professor). In May 2022, she joined NRAO as an Astronomer. Poonam is also a fellow of all three major Indian Science Academies, i.e. The Indian National Science Academy, The National Academy of Sciences, and the Indian Academy of Sciences.