Moving Beyond the Visible Universe: Dark Clouds, Galaxy Collisions, and the Origin of Stars
with
Christine D. Wilson
McMaster University
Much of the astronomical research of the next decade is expected to focus
on understanding the origins of planets, stars, galaxies, and even the
universe itself. Millimetre-wave radio astronomy is a crucial tool in
this quest allowing us to probe into the cold, dark regions of space
where many of these formation processes occur.
Christine Wilson will illustrate the enormous potential of these techniques
using her own work on a spectacular collision between two spiral galaxies
that has triggered the formation of massive clusters of stars. She will
also present recent results from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, which
have provided a unique view of the star-forming regions of our own Milky
Way Galaxy.
Dr. Christine Wilson is a Professor in the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at McMaster University and the Canadian Project Scientist for
the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. The discoverer of Comet Wilson while
still a graduate student, she is best known internationally for her work
on star formation in nearby galaxies. She received her Ph.D. from Caltech
in 1990, a Women's Faculty Award from NSERC in 1992, and a Premier's Research
Excellence Award from the Ontario government in 1999.
Simultaneous translation will be provided.
Co-Sponsors:
--the Speaker of the Senate, the Hon. Daniel Hays
--the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Peter Milliken
--Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE)
--NSERC
DATE: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 from 7:30 am - 9:00 am
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