Naturally Speaking: Dr. Michael Rutkowski - The First Century of Astrophysics
Schedule
Thu Apr 17 2025 at 06:00 pm to 07:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Newport News, VA, United States, Virginia 23601 | Newport News, VA
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The Virginia Living Museum’s Naturally Speaking Lecture Series is an in-person interactive discussion that brings fascinating details about our local, regional and global ecosystems directly to you!Astronomy is arguably the “first science”, but inchoate astrophysics deserves the credit for fundamentally transforming humanity’s understanding of the natural world. Over the last century, the history, shape, and composition of the universe has been revealed in surprising, remarkable ways. Over the past few decades, the application of some of the most complex, powerful scientific instruments ever constructed have dramatically accelerated these discoveries. In this lecture, I will introduce fundamental (coincidentally, within a Virginia context) concepts in astrophysics, including a brief review of some major revolutions in our understanding of the universe. Following this gentle introduction, the audience will then be able to appreciate some of the technical insights I have derived with large collaborations using ultraviolet and near IR space-based observations like the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. Specifically, we’ll discuss the curious formation and evolution of massive galaxies in the universe and the impact of the smallest galaxies on the cosmic evolution of elements. We will then focus on two topics, looking towards the future. First, we review the launch of new astrophysical observatories and their potential to fundamentally transform our understanding of the nature of the universe. Second, we discuss the application of machine-learning techniques to support new discoveries in astrophysics.
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Where is it happening?
524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Newport News, VA, United States, Virginia 23601Event Location & Nearby Stays:
