Events at Physics |
Events During the Week of January 23rd through January 30th, 2022
Sunday, January 23rd, 2022
- APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics
- CUWiP
- Time: 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Place: virtual, see for full details
- Speaker: various, APS
- Abstract: The goal of APS CUWiP is to help undergraduate women continue in physics by providing them with the opportunity to experience a professional conference, information about graduate school and professions in physics, and access to other women in physics of all ages with whom they can share experiences, advice, and ideas. The national and local organizing committees of APS CUWiP strive to create a welcoming environment for all, including undergraduate women and gender minorities.
Visit for more info - Host: APS
Monday, January 24th, 2022
- No events scheduled
Tuesday, January 25th, 2022
- Academic Calendar
- Spring semester instruction begins
- Abstract: *Note: actual end time may vary.*
- Department Meeting
- Time: 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
- Place: VIRTUAL - Link to be sent later
- Speaker: Mark Eriksson, UW-Madison, Department of Physics
- Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters—pursuant to Section 19.85(1)(c) of the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law. Closed to all but tenured professors.
- Host: Mark Eriksson
- Network in Neutrinos, Nuclear Astrophysics, and Symmetries (N3AS) Seminar
- Cooling of the Cassiopeia A neutron star and superfluid implications
- Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Place: virtual:
- Speaker: Wynn Ho, Haverford College
- Abstract: Neutron stars are born extremely hot in the aftermath of a supernova and then cool by neutrino emission over the next million years. Measurements of the temperature of neutron stars of various ages provide crucial insights into nuclear physics that govern neutron star cooling, such as proton-neutron asymmetry, superfluidity, and transitions to hyperons and deconfined quarks at high densities. Here I provide an update on observations of the youngest neutron star known and its rapid cooling over 20 years and implications for neutron superfluidity and proton superconductivity.
- Host: A. Baha Balantekin
- Council Meeting
- Physics Council Meeting
- Time: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
- Place: 2314 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Eriksson, UW-Madison, Department of Physics
- Host: Eriksson
Wednesday, January 26th, 2022
- Department Meeting
- Time: 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
- Place: B343 Sterling
- Speaker: Mark Eriksson, UW-Madison, Department of Physics
- Host: Mark Eriksson
Thursday, January 27th, 2022
- Public Research Seminar
- Earth’s early years: Maybe not so Hadean after all
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
- Place: Wisconsin Institute of Discovery, Orchard Room
- Speaker: NIcolle Zellner, Albion College
- Abstract: The first several hundred million years of Earth’s history are mysterious yet often characterized by heavy bombardment and generally hot and hellish conditions, the very essence of a Hadean environment. Evidence to the contrary exists, however, including terrestrial zircons that suggest the presence of water, land masses, and even a proposed biosphere. New investigations of the impact flux in the Earth-Moon system during this time period and into the Archean are refining our interpretations of the nature and extent of this bombardment. For example, recent advances in analyzing and interpreting lunar (and other) impact sample data are allowing us to better understand how impacts may have influenced Earth’s geological activities and whether or not Earth’s early life ever experienced an “impact frustration” that would have hindered its evolution. Results from multiple studies across multiple disciplines will be presented in an integrated manner that holistically provides new interpretations for understanding significant biological and geological events in Earth’s first billion years.
Web Link:
- Host: Christy Tremonti, UW Astronomy Department
Friday, January 28th, 2022
- Theory Seminar (High Energy/Cosmology)
- UV/IR Mixing, EFTs, and Origami: Calculating the Higgs Mass in String Theory
- Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- Place: Chamberlin 5280
- Speaker: Keith Dienes, University of Arizona
- Abstract: In this talk, we shall present a non-technical method of understanding UV/IR mixing from a field-theoretic perspective. We will then discuss how these ideas are ultimately realized in string theory, providing a self-contained introduction to relevant string ideas as we proceed. Finally, we shall present a fully string-theoretic framework for calculating one-loop Higgs masses directly from first principles in perturbative closed string theories. Notably, using our framework, we find that a gravitational modular anomaly generically relates the Higgs mass to the one-loop cosmological constant, thereby yielding a string-theoretic connection between the two fundamental quantities which are known to suffer from hierarchy problems in the absence of spacetime supersymmetry. We also discuss a number of crucial issues involving the use and interpretation of regulators in UV/IR-mixed theories such as string theory, and the manner in which one can extract an EFT description from such theories. Finally, we analyze the running of the Higgs mass within such an EFT description, and uncover the existence of a ``dual IR'' region which emerges at high energies as the consequence of an intriguing scale-inversion duality symmetry. We also identify a generic stringy effective potential for the Higgs fields in such theories. Our results can therefore serve as the launching point for a rigorous investigation of gauge hierarchy problems in string theory. Note: This is a hybrid event. A zoom link will be distributed via the seminar mailing list. To join, email the organizer.
- Host: Lars Aalsma
- Physics Department Colloquium
- CANCELLED
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall
- Abstract: CANCELLED