Join us for our next public lecture presented by Chelsea BartramAbout this Event
We observe that 85% of the matter in the universe is in the form of invisible "dark matter" -- but we still do not know what this dark matter is. My favorite dark matter candidate is an "axion" – a hypothetical particle suggested by the problem of explaining the fundamental symmetries of the nuclear forces. The axion has a very small mass compared to other suggested dark matter particles. In an experiment, it would behave more like a wave than a particle. So, to discover axions, we are using a method completely different from those of other dark matter searches. In the SLAC experiments ADMX and Dark Matter Radio, we are building ultra-low-noise radio receivers, immersed in high magnetic fields, to identify the axion as a new radio band coming in from the cosmos. If we discover the axion, any high school physics class will be able to tune in to the axion airwaves.
Join us at the Kavli Building or online (link coming soon). Registration is required if you plan to attend in person.
Site entry will be allowed starting at 6:30 p.m. Proceed directly to the Kavli Building to check in.
We will also be streaming the lecture live on our YouTube page. You do not need to register if you plan to watch online.
Click here for more information about the SLAC Public Lectures.
About the Speaker:
Chelsea Bartram has been interested in radio for a long time. As a kid, she tried to imagine radio waves bouncing off the ionosphere and into her yard in Ohio. She earned a ham radio license, built a few antennas, and realized that she could hear people talking in foreign countries! But detecting radio waves created by people was not enough. She built up her knowledge by earning a Ph.D. in nuclear physics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 2019, and then working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. In 2022, she joined SLAC as a Panofsky Fellow. Her goal today is to discover the axion by combining the old technologies of radio reception with the latest ultra-low-temperature detectors and quantum sensors.
Attend In Person:
The public lecture will be held in person at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in the Kavli Auditorium in the Kavli Building (B51). Parking is free and can be found in front of the Science and User Support Building (B53). Doors open at 6:30 pm. The lecture will start promptly at 7 p.m. and conclude at 8 p.m. There will be opportunities to chat with the scientists following the event. Registration is required if you plan to attend the lecture in person. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
In order for SLAC to provide a safe environment for the public and our employees, and expedite access to the event, no handbags larger than 12"x6"x12" or backpacks will be allowed inside the venue. Exceptions to this policy will be made for all medically necessary items after proper inspection and for SLAC-badged staff.
COVID-19 safety protocols:
SLAC’s current COVID-19 safety protocols for visitors attending an on site event include 1) wearing of a mask is recommended 2) social distance when possible 3) if you are feeling sick, please stay home.
By entering SLAC, you attest that you are not experiencing any COVID-19, flu, or cold-like symptoms. If you are sneezing, coughing, have a fever, or are experiencing any other such symptoms, stay at home and do not attend the public lecture in person; consider viewing the lecture online instead. This is for the safety of our staff and visitors.
To join the public lecture in person, you are required to follow all protocols and instructions from SLAC staff. We will provide updates to this event page if there are any changes to SLAC’s COVID-19 safety protocols.
Event Venue
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, United States
USD 0.00
