Have you ever looked at a stunning picture from NASA full of swirling colors, almost like it should be hanging in an art museum? Chances are, you're looking at a nebula. Nebulae are enormous clouds of dust and gas out in space. Some nebulae are the aftermath of a supernova, the explosive death of a massive star. Others serve as the birthplace of many new stars, formed by the gravitational pull of gas and radiative push of their first stars. Some nebulae even act as both. Join us as we explore nebulae and their role in star formation, and of course, look at many breathtaking pictures.
Calvin Dear was inspired to pursue physics by his grandfather who would show him public science talks when he was growing up - He was always fascinated by the way we could explain and predict the world around us. He did his undergraduate work at West Virginia University where he did research on Fast Radio Bursts. In 2024 he joined the graduate students at UWM and now does research on gravitational wave astrophysics. When he's not doing physics, he likes to play video and tabletop games as well as make music.
Caleb Ogle came to UWM in the Fall of 2024 to research gravitational waves because they offer a new and unique lens with which to observe the universe. Currently, he is part of the LIGO group and his research involves applications of machine learning on gravitational wave data. Outside of research he enjoys playing the guitar, going to the gym with friends, and everything about his crazy dog, Nova.
Jason Vazquez did his undergrad at UIUC where he worked on observational studies of supernovae. As a grad student at UWM, his work now focuses on simulating tidal disruption events. Outside of research, he likes to spend his time at the gym, playing video games, and watching every sport.
Event info:
Date: 2/9/26
Time: 7-8:30/9pm CST
Cost: FREE!!!
Location: Back room of the Sugar Maple Bar, 441 E. Lincoln Ave, Bay View, WI
Check out more Coffeeshop Astrophysics events and info here!! https://coffeeshopastrophysics.github.io/
