The Discovery of Gravitational Waves

Abstract

We are at an exciting time of gravitational wave discoveries. The first detection of gravitational wave signal was made in September 2015, followed by a second detection in December 2015. Both gravitational wave sources have been identified as mergers of binary stellar-mass black holes. In this talk, I will give an overview of the gravitational wave detections and discuss prospects of joint gravitational wave and electromagnetic observations. Bio: Date: 09/09/16 Time: 2:00 PM Location: COB 105 For More Information Contact: Lin Tian, ltian@ucmerced.edu PhD Institution, Year and Title: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2001), “A Study of the Long-term Behavior of Galactic X-ray Sources with RXTE” Short Career Summary: 2014Professor, The University of Western Australia 2010-2013 ARC Future Fellow, Associate Professor, The University of Western Australia 2008-2009 UWA UPRF Fellow, The University of Western Australia 2004-2008 Junior Scientist, Max-Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics/Albert Einstein Institute, Germany 2001-2003 Postdoctoral Associate, Caltech, USA Prizes, Fellowships and Awards 2009 ARC Future Fellowship 2007 UPRF Fellowship (UWA) 1995 Rossi Fellowship (MIT)