The University of the Virgin Islands\u2019 College of Science and Mathematics, together with the Etelman Observatory, are organizing two upcoming astronomy conferences this summer.\u00a0 The first one, \u201cGeneration-GW: Diving into Gravitational Waves\u201d will take place from June 5-9. The second conference, \u201cUnveiling the Physics Behind Extreme AGN Variability\u201d will take place from July 11-14.\u00a0 Both conferences will facilitate discussions about crucial breakthroughs in the field of astronomy over the last few years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are establishing a legacy, and these events will improve the recruitment of Virgin Islands students to study physics and astronomy at UVI,\u201d said Dr. Antonino Cucchiara, assistant professor of physics. \u201cThe conferences will also demonstrate how research and activities undertaken at UVI can benefit the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scientific breakthrough to be discussed by groups of international astrophysicists from around the world at the June conference is \u201cGravitational Waves.\u201d Widely considered to be the greatest discovery of 21st<\/sup> century astronomy, this phenomenon describes ripples in the curvature of space-time that propagate at the speed of light, outward from their source.<\/p>\n The other discovery to be discussed by more than 50 astronomers at the July conference is Fast Variable Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN).\u00a0 The center of every galaxy has a \u2018super massive black hole\u2019 which is millions of times heavier than our sun.\u00a0 Everything that gets too close to it or falls in is destroyed, explained Cucchiara.\u00a0 That destruction produces energy that is observable in optical, X-ray, gamma-ray radiation \u2013 producing an AGN.\u00a0 The July conference will focus on Fast Variable AGNs, which radiation changes quickly in time and are therefore difficult to observe in detail.<\/p>\n Both conferences will include an undergraduate mentoring component with question and answer sessions, as well as a talk that will be open to the public.\u00a0 The public talk for the June conference is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, in the Administration and Conference Center (ACC). It will feature Professor Alberto Sesana from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and Professor Jillian Bellovary from Queensborough Community College in New York.\u00a0 The public talk in July will also be held on a Thursday; details to be announced.<\/p>\n \u201cUVI and the Etelman Observatory are establishing a path forward to become an astronomy research hub,\u201d said Cucchiara.\u00a0 \u201cIt is important for us to involve not just UVI physics faculty, but also international partners, undergraduate researchers and federal agencies.\u201d\u00a0 Eight UVI students will be at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) working on a variety of projects, from building the new generation of \u201cmicrosatellite,\u201d to studying planets around other stars, to studying the most powerful stellar explosions known in the Universe.\u00a0 Some of these projects relate to research that is currently being pursued at UVI, representing the strong connection between both institutions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The University of the Virgin Islands\u2019 College of Science and Mathematics, together with the Etelman Observatory, are organizing two upcoming astronomy conferences this summer.\u00a0 The first one, \u201cGeneration-GW: Diving into Gravitational Waves\u201d will take place from June 5-9. The second conference, \u201cUnveiling the Physics Behind Extreme AGN Variability\u201d will take place from July 11-14.\u00a0 Both […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":53069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1078,147],"tags":[6983,613],"yoast_head":"\n