Monday, November 2

THE POST-GENOMIC ERA

Gravitational Physics: The Coming Wave
Clifford Will, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

Of the four fundamental forces of nature, gravity has been studied the longest but continues to present some of the deepest challenges to physics -- these having to do with gravity waves detection; colliding black holes; the age and geometry of the universe; relativity; and the unification of gravitation and quantum theory. A National Academy of Science-backed committee is readying a report aimed at better defining scientific objectives for the next decade and offering proposals for achieving those targets. A co-chair of the committee offers his personal take on it all.

Matter At Absolute Zero
Wolfgang Ketterle, Ph.D.
John D. MacArthur Professor, Research Laboratory of Electronics and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.

In 1924, Einstein predicted it. In 1995, scientists finally confirmed it. Cooling a gas to close to absolute zero yields a Bose-Einstein condensate, a novel kind of quantum matter in which the atoms all "march in lockstep" to form one giant matter wave possessed of many exotic properties. Researchers are now working toward using these condensates: as a testbed for deeper exploration of the quantum world; as the linchpin for a new generation of ultra-precise atomic clocks; to perform exacting measurements of fundamental physical constants.

6:30 p.m.: Hospitality Suite open.