Science Under the Stars

Event Date:
2026-02-24T19:00:00
2026-02-24T21:00:00
Event Location:
HEBB building Room 114 + HEBB rooftop (2045 East Mall or https://maps.ubc.ca/?code=HEBB)
URL:
RSVP for tickets!
Related Upcoming Events:
Public Events
Intended Audience:
Public
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This event is hosted by the UBC Astronomy Club (academic@ubcastronom) and the Department of Physics and Astronomy (outreach@phas.ubc.ca).

All ages welcome!

Event Information:

The UBC Astronomy Club and the Department of Physics and Astronomy invite you—and your friends and family—to an inspiring night of science, curiosity, and stargazing! Welcome to this month's Science Under the Stars event happening on the last Tuesday of every month! 

Our February event features guest speakers Pedro Villalba-González and Hrishabh Srivastava, hands-on crafts such as themed card making (because it's never too late to show your Valentine appreciation), and telescope observing (weather permitting). Light refreshments and craft supplies provided!

RSVP for tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/science-under-the-stars-star-crossed-event-tickets-1982470275962?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Schedule:
7-8pm Meet in HEBB 114 for a mini-lecture and Q&A period
8-9pm: create ASTRO-themed arts and crafts, and head to the roof to view some popular favourites: the moon, Jupiter and Saturn! *NOTE: this part of the evening is completely dependent upon the weather*

 

Speakers:

Small Telescope, Big Science: CGEM and the Origin of the Universe, with Pedro Villalba-González

The Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper (CGEM) is a new 4-metres single-dish radio telescope located at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, near Penticton, BC, built to map the polarization of the galaxy we inhabit, the Milky Way. This new instrument has been designed with a clear objective in mind: to be useful in the search for gravitational radiation from the early Universe, the B-modes. Over the past four years, I have worked on CGEM's design and deployment, from hardware and control software to data analysis. In this talk, I will present a brief introduction to radio astronomy and cosmology and an overview of the CGEM experiment and its science goals. I will share some personal insights from my very early days in the team to the first maps we recently obtained. I will also outline future plans for the experiment, which we will be upgrading for the next few months.

Bio: Pedro Villalba-González (he/him) is a third year PhD student at the Observational Cosmology lab at UBC. He is a Rafael del Pino Excellence Scholar (2022-23), a La Caixa Foundation Fellow (2023-25), and a Michael Smith Fellow (2025-26). His research focuses on the design, deployment and, as of a few months ago, data analysis of a new radio telescope, the Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper (CGEM), which will help us search for gravitational radiation from the early Universe. In his free time, he enjoys record collecting, salsa dancing, and (very amateurly) training for triathlons.

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The curious case of a Greek letter with Hrishabh Srivastava

In 1917, Albert Einstein introduced a mysterious term, Λ, to hold the universe static, only to abandon it after Edwin Hubble discovered the expansion of the Universe. Decades later, Λ returned in a surprising way, now linked to the accelerating universe. Was it a blunder, a coincidence, or a profound insight into the nature of space itself? This talk explores the strange, dramatic journey of the cosmological constant, and why a single Greek letter may hold clues to the fate of our Universe.

Bio: Hrishabh Srivastava is a 2nd-year Astronomy MSc student and member of the Euclid Strong Lensing Science Working Group. Originally an engineering student and amateur astronomer, he now spends his time searching for strong gravitational lenses in Euclid images, seeking to understand the fundamental nature of our Universe.

 

Add to Calendar 2026-02-24T19:00:00 2026-02-24T21:00:00 Science Under the Stars Event Information: The UBC Astronomy Club and the Department of Physics and Astronomy invite you—and your friends and family—to an inspiring night of science, curiosity, and stargazing! Welcome to this month's Science Under the Stars event happening on the last Tuesday of every month!  Our February event features guest speakers Pedro Villalba-González and Hrishabh Srivastava, hands-on crafts such as themed card making (because it's never too late to show your Valentine appreciation), and telescope observing (weather permitting). Light refreshments and craft supplies provided! RSVP for tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/science-under-the-stars-star-crossed-event-tickets-1982470275962?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Schedule:7-8pm Meet in HEBB 114 for a mini-lecture and Q&A period8-9pm: create ASTRO-themed arts and crafts, and head to the roof to view some popular favourites: the moon, Jupiter and Saturn! *NOTE: this part of the evening is completely dependent upon the weather*   Speakers: Small Telescope, Big Science: CGEM and the Origin of the Universe, with Pedro Villalba-González The Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper (CGEM) is a new 4-metres single-dish radio telescope located at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, near Penticton, BC, built to map the polarization of the galaxy we inhabit, the Milky Way. This new instrument has been designed with a clear objective in mind: to be useful in the search for gravitational radiation from the early Universe, the B-modes. Over the past four years, I have worked on CGEM's design and deployment, from hardware and control software to data analysis. In this talk, I will present a brief introduction to radio astronomy and cosmology and an overview of the CGEM experiment and its science goals. I will share some personal insights from my very early days in the team to the first maps we recently obtained. I will also outline future plans for the experiment, which we will be upgrading for the next few months. Bio: Pedro Villalba-González (he/him) is a third year PhD student at the Observational Cosmology lab at UBC. He is a Rafael del Pino Excellence Scholar (2022-23), a La Caixa Foundation Fellow (2023-25), and a Michael Smith Fellow (2025-26). His research focuses on the design, deployment and, as of a few months ago, data analysis of a new radio telescope, the Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper (CGEM), which will help us search for gravitational radiation from the early Universe. In his free time, he enjoys record collecting, salsa dancing, and (very amateurly) training for triathlons. ______________________________________________________________________________ The curious case of a Greek letter with Hrishabh Srivastava In 1917, Albert Einstein introduced a mysterious term, Λ, to hold the universe static, only to abandon it after Edwin Hubble discovered the expansion of the Universe. Decades later, Λ returned in a surprising way, now linked to the accelerating universe. Was it a blunder, a coincidence, or a profound insight into the nature of space itself? This talk explores the strange, dramatic journey of the cosmological constant, and why a single Greek letter may hold clues to the fate of our Universe. Bio: Hrishabh Srivastava is a 2nd-year Astronomy MSc student and member of the Euclid Strong Lensing Science Working Group. Originally an engineering student and amateur astronomer, he now spends his time searching for strong gravitational lenses in Euclid images, seeking to understand the fundamental nature of our Universe.   Event Location: HEBB building Room 114 + HEBB rooftop (2045 East Mall or https://maps.ubc.ca/?code=HEBB)