Abstract: Watkins will share highlights from her recent 170 days of living and
working aboard the International Space Station, her path to space, and
her perspective on the role of geology in space exploration.
Abstract: We are entering the golden age of multi-wavelength astronomical surveys. In the 2020s, a plethora of multi-band surveys (such as Rubin-LSST, DESI, Simons Observatory, CMB-S4, and eROSITA, to name a few) are underway or planned to provide unprecedented insights into the cosmic structure formation and the fundamental physics of the cosmos. One of the key challenges of this cosmic frontier lies in understanding the halo-galaxy-gas connection and the roles of still poorly understood galaxy formation physics and its impact on cosmology.
Physics Frontiers Centers (PFCs)
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public. Read more about this program at the NSF website.
