Colloquium – Rebecca Surman

Rebecca Surman, University of Notre Dame

The nuclear physics of multimessenger astrophysics

The groundbreaking discovery of the neutron star merger event GW170817 ushered in a new era of multimessenger astrophysics. Potential and observed multimessenger signals such as gamma rays, neutrinos, and kilonovae arise from nuclear processes. Decoded properly, these signals provide unprecedented insight into astrophysical events and contribute to solving longstanding questions such as the origins of the heavy elements. However, their interpretation is subject to considerable uncertainties in the nuclear physics of dense matter and exotic nuclear species. Here we will explore the role of nuclear physics in shaping multimessenger observables and highlight future opportunities enabled by new radioactive beam facilities such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

Bio: Prof. Rebecca Surman received her Ph.D. in nuclear theory from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and went directly from her Ph.D. to teach at an undergraduate-only institution, Union College in Schenectady, NY. During her time at Union, she took research leaves at North Carolina State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the University of Notre Dame. She was hired by the University of Notre Dame in 2014, where she is now a full professor, fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and chair of the APS Division of Astrophysics.

March 27, 2025 @ 4:10pm (CST) in 4327 Stevenson Center; light refreshments available at 3:50 PM

Host: J Velkovska