Adam Riess
Nobel Laureate
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Thomas J. Barber Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Krieger Eisenhower Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University

In 1929 Edwin Hubble discovered that our Universe is expanding. Eighty years later, the Space Telescope that bears his name is being used to study an even more surprising phenomenon: that the expansion is speeding up. The origin of this effect is not known, but is broadly attributed to a type of “dark energy” first posited to exist by Albert Einstein and now dominating the mass- energy budget of the Universe. Professor Riess will describe how his team discovered the acceleration of the Universe and why understanding the nature of dark energy presents one of the greatest remaining challenges in astrophysics and cosmology. 

For questions about this event, contact events@dornsife.usc.edu or 213-740-4996.