How did the universe begin, and how do we know? Join Pitt astrophysics PhD candidate Cullen Abelson for a short, accessible talk on the wacky and wonderful early history of our universe: what the Big Bang was (and wasn’t), the evidence behind it, and the questions scientists are still working on.

The evening opens with a 15-minute talk, followed by open Q&A and discussion. No physics background needed, just curiosity.

About the speaker
Cullen Abelson is a PhD candidate in astrophysics at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on stellar evolution: he uses dead and dying stars to understand how stars change over their lives. He’s especially interested in supernovae, some of the brightest objects in the cosmos; astronomers use these events to measure the size of the universe. Most massive stars come in binary pairs, and his work explores how that affects which stars end up exploding.

Cullen grew up in Delaware and earned a B.S. in physics and astronomy from Penn State. The Big Bang isn’t his research area, but it’s a lifelong personal interest. As he puts it, “The universe is under no obligation to be intuitive to us; however, the human mind is also very powerful.”

About PFC Science Night
A new series of science talks and member-led discussions. Free and open to all.