David Elder Lecture - Dr Christopher Berry

Celebrating 10 years of discovery with gravitational waves

Dr. Christopher Berry, University of Glasgow

The first observation of gravitational waves was made in September 2015. This breakthrough was made possible thanks to decades of international research, including pioneering work at the University of Glasgow. 

This discovery has provided a new method for performing astronomy and a unique way to test Einstein's theory of relativity. In the decade since the first detection, we have observed many gravitational-wave signals black holes and neutron stars. These systems, the remnants of massive stars, are difficult to study otherwise. 

Thanks to gravitational-wave astronomy, we now have new insights into the lives of massive stars, the evolution of the Universe and the nature of gravity itself. This talk will review the breakthroughs of gravitational-wave astronomy.

About the Speaker

Dr Christopher Berry is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Gravitational Research at the University of Glasgow. He studied at the University of Cambridge, obtaining his PhD from the Institute of Astronomy. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Birmingham, where he worked on analysing the first observations of gravitational waves. 

He moved to the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics at Northwestern University where he was the CIERA Board of Visitors Research Professor in 2018, and then moved back to the UK to join the University of Glasgow in 2020. 

He has been honoured with the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics' Young Scientist Prize in General Relativity & Gravitation, and the Royal Astronomical Society's Fowler Award for Early Achievement in Astronomy.

About the David Elder Lectures

Glasgow Science Centre is proud to host the David Elder Lectures in partnership with the University of Strathclyde's Department of Physics. This lecture is open to adults and interested young adults. Please ensure you arrive at least 10 minutes before the event begins. After the start the doors will be closed and access will not be permitted.