Chasing the Universe’s Explosive Secrets

Far beneath the frozen surface of Antarctica, scientists have built a giant detector that’s helping us see the universe in a whole new way, not with light, but with tiny, invisible particles called neutrinos. These ghost-like particles can travel across the universe from exploding stars and black holes, slipping through planets and stars without leaving a trace. But every now and then, one leaves a tiny flash of light in the Antarctic ice — and that’s where the IceCube Neutrino Observatory comes in. Join us as we dive into the world of neutrino astronomy and discover how this extraordinary "ice telescope" is unlocking some of the universe’s biggest secrets.

Bio

Dr Jenni Adams is a Professor in the School of Physical & Chemical Sciences at the University of Canterbury, where she specializes in astroparticle physics and cosmology. Her undergraduate degree was at the University of Canterbury followed by doctoral studies at the University of Oxford. After a research position in Uppsala in Sweden, Jenni returned to the University of Canterbury in 1998. In 2021, Jenni made history by becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Dan Walls Medal, the top award from the New Zealand Institute of Physics.  She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2023.

Event

Tuesday 16 September, 6:30pm @Botanic, 126 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch Central 8013

Also speaking at this location at 8:00pm is Dr Natalia Kabaliuk