University Fast Links Academic Affairs Academic Calendar Academic Community Engagement (ACE) Academic Planning and Assessment Accepted Students Admissions (Undergraduate) Admissions (Graduate) Admission Requirements Analytical Laboratory Advising (Medical/Dental Related) Advising (SAM Center) Agricultural Sciences and Engineering Technology Alumni Association Alcohol and Drug Abuse Initiative Army ROTC - Military Science Athletics Banner Banking Bearkat Camp Bearkat Express Payment Bearkat Marching Band Bearkat OneCard Bearkat Transfer Scholarship Blackboard Blinn College Transfers Bookstore Books & Supplies Budget Office Bursar's Office Business Administration Calendars Campus Map Career Services Catalogs Class Schedule Computer Account Creation Computer Labs Continuing Education Controller's Office Correspondence Course Division Counseling Center Criminal Justice Current Students Dean of Students' Office Departments Department of Dance Dining Services Directory Education Educator Preparation Services Emergency Management Employment Opportunities English Language Institute Enrollment Management Environmental, Health and Safety Office Exchange Mail Facilites Management Facilities Space Management Faculty Senate Faculty/Staff Directory Final Exam Schedule Finance and Operations Financial Aid Fine Arts and Mass Communication First-Year Experience General Information Graduate Studies Great Names Health Sciences Honors College Homecoming Human Resources Humanities and Social Sciences IT@Sam IT@Sam Service Desk Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) Institutional Effectiveness Internal Grant Program Institutional Review Board (IRB) International Programs Joint Admission Students KatFacts Library (NGL) Lone Star College Transfers Lowman Student Center Map - Campus Marketing & Communications Math CAMP Medical & Allied Health Programs McNair Program Military Science Mobile Go Center Music Music Choir News Nursing Office of Business Services Office of the President Online Information Request Organization Chart Orientation - New Student PACE Parent Relations Office Parking Payroll Office Procurement and Business Services Procurement Opportunities Project Connect Property Prospective Students Public Safety Quality Enhancement Plan Reading Center Recreational Sports Registration Registrar's Office Research and Sponsored Programs Residence Life Risk Management Sam Shuttle SACS Reaffirmation Sam Houston Memorial Museum SamMenu (Download) SamWeb Sciences Services for Students with Disabilities Schedule of Classes Scholarships SHSU Marketplace Spirit Programs Staff Council Student Activities Student Government Association Student Health Center Student Legal Services Student Money Management Center Student Services Student Services Calendar Summer Camps Technology Tutorials Testing Center Theatre and Dance Today@Sam Tour the University Transcripts Transfer Equivalency Guide Transfer Students TRIES University Advancement University Center University Hotel University Park - Northwest Houston Campus University Police Department Veterans Visitor & Alumni Center The Woodlands Center Writing Center

Astronomer To Give Lecture On Nobel Prize-Winning Work

April 15, 2013
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt

 

Internationally renowned astronomer Nicholas Suntzeff will explore the behavior of “Our Dark Universe” on Wednesday (April 24), at 7:30 p.m. in the Academic Building IV James S. Olson Auditorium.

Suntzeff, the Mitchell/Munnerlyn/Heep Professor of Observational Astronomy at Texas A&M University, will present a the story of his “amazing and confusing discovery” that led to his team being awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics, according to Renee James, professor of physics.

Literally an “astronomical achievement,” Suntzeff’s team of astronomers, in 1998, discovered the mysterious "dark energy" component to our universe, which led to more than a decade of follow-up observations and theoretical work.

“(Because of that discovery), cosmologists now know what our universe is made of,” Suntzeff said. “Scientists can describe the origin and evolution of the universe from a fraction of a second after creation all the way until today with remarkable precision—and even predict its future evolution.

“But this universe we inhabit is preposterous, filled with matter and energy of a type that does not fit into our theories of physics,” he said. “As one of the cosmologists that discovered the three-quarters of the universe which is now called ‘Dark Energy,’ Dr. Suntzeff will explain the history of our universe as we know it, leaving the best estimate of where our universe is heading.”

His personal life is also “filled with improbabilities,” according to James, including playing varsity soccer with Robin Williams, volleying tennis balls with astronaut Sally Ride (who defeated him on a regular basis), saving actor Alan Alda's dog, and meeting a Croatian woman in a Chinese restaurant in Chile on a blind date, which became the first step toward a long marriage.

Suntzeff studied mathematics at Stanford University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1974, and astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California—Santa Cruz’s Lick Observatory, earning his doctorate in 1980.

In addition to working as an astronomer at various universities and observatories in the U.S. and Chile, Suntzeff also worked for a year with the U.S. Department of State as a Jefferson Science Fellow.

His presentation, sponsored by the SHSU physics department, is open to the public.

For more information, contact James at phy_crj@shsu.edu or 936.294.4888.

 

 

- END -

 

 

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Associate Director: Julia May
Manager: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.