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Visible matter only makes up about five percent of the universe. Though Lord Kelvin proposed the idea of "dark bodies" in the 1880s, we have only known about the existence of dark matter since the twentieth century. For decades, dark matter and energy have been elusive substances that have intrigued scientists.In this free astronomy talk presented by the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit, Ph.D. candidate Liam Brennan will provide a dynamic exploration of particle physics to set the stage for the groundbreaking work of the LDMX (Light Dark Matter Experiment). The LDMX is an upcoming small-scale accelerator experiment searching for low mass dark matter particles. In the experiment, an electron is accelerated into a target, where through an interaction with the target, the electron can radiate invisible dark matter particles. Detecting dark matter would mark a new era in particle physics and help answer one of the biggest questions in modern science: What makes up the majority of matter in our universe? By weaving together key moments from the past and cutting-edge discoveries, Brennan will inspire curiosity about the motivation behind LDMX, touching on the elusive WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) and major strides in dark matter research.
Liam Brennan is a Ph.D. student in particle physics at UCSB, working in the Incandela Research Group. His research focuses on dark matter, Beyond the Standard Model physics, and anomaly detection with the Light Dark Matter Experiment (LDMX) and the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) collaboration at CERN. He holds a B.S. in materials science and engineering and a master's in physics. He previously conducted research at the University of Chicago and Stanford University. Liam has been awarded the Polchinski Fellowship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for his contributions to LDMX and CMS.
No tickets or reservations required. Questions? Contact Director of Education Rosina Garcia at [email protected] or 805-682-4711 ext. 172.
LDMX image courtesy of Liam Brennan
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA, United States, California 93105
