Festive event
Celebrating 8 years of the doctoral programme Atoms, Light, and Molecules: Cutting-edge research and training in physics
Black Holes, Aliens, and the End of the Universe: Science Communication in Astrophysics
Suzanna Randall
03.00 pm
Words of welcome by
Gregor Weihs, Vice Rector for Research
Georg Kaser, FWF Vice President
Celebration DK ALM 8 years plus – looking back and forward
Roland Wester, speaker DK ALM
Francesca Ferlaino, co-speaker DK ALM
Moderation: Roland Wester, speaker DK ALM
Keynote talk
Black Holes, Aliens, and the End of the Universe:
Science Communication in Astrophysics
Suzanna Randall
Black Holes, Aliens, and the End of the Universe:
Science Communication in Astrophysics
The mission of science is not only to acquire new knowledge but also to share its findings with the public. Within the broad spectrum of science communication, the dissemination of astrophysics represents a particular challenge, but also a unique opportunity. After all, Astronomy and space are topics that fascinate almost everyone. On the other hand, the concepts to be conveyed are often highly complex and demanding, leading many people to feel intimidated and adopt the attitude of ‚I don‘t understand this anyway!‘.
As a scientist at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), presenter at the ZDF YouTube channel Terra X Lesch & Co, and in my freelance work as a speaker and author, my goal is to explain (astro)physical concepts in an understandable and scientifically accurate manner, while also entertaining my audience. In this talk, I will share my experiences on the challenges I faced - and how knowledge transfer in physics can nevertheless succeed.
Suzanna Randall with a PhD in Astrophysics from Université de Montréal, Canada, in 2026, has been working since 2010 at ESO, European Southern Observatory, and ALMA, the world’s largest millimeter telescope. Since 2019 she has been attending the training and education to become an astronaut. Suzanna works also as a moderator and speaker.
The physics of atoms, light, and molecules plays a crucial role in various scientific disciplines and technological advancements. This field provides young researchers with valuable knowledge and experience, enabling them to pursue diverse careers in science and industry. To promote cutting-edge research the University of Innsbruck's atomic, molecular, and optical physics groups started the Doctoral Programme Atoms, Light, and Molecules (DK ALM) in 2016 as a joint programme incorporating the four physics institutes of the University of Innsbruck with the aim of providing excellent education and training for PhD students at the forefront of science.
So far more than 60 PhD student researchers of various nationalities have been working on a diverse range of projects including quantum gases, qubits, quantum computation and information, tropospheric aerosol models, interstellar molecule, lattice geometries, and trapped ion interactions.
As the training environment emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, Science Days, Summer Schools and soft-skill training the graduates are well-prepared for academic positions and highly in demand by industrial sectors. Additional DK ALM PhD student researchers have completed more than 160 research stays abroad, which is equivalent to a total time of 24.5 years. Synergies arised from the interaction with research institutions worldwide. The success of the DK ALM programme is evident as alumni secure academic postdoctoral positions and attract attention from international companies. To date more than 230 peer review articles have been published in high impact journals. Besides the publications scientific visibility was generated by DK ALM at more than 350 conferences, including invited talks.
The programme is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) with additional support from Land Tirol and the University of Innsbruck.
Registration for the event
Please register (https://pretix.eu/uibk/dk-alm-24/).
Contact
Universität Innsbruck
Doctoral programme Atoms, Light and Molecules
Technikerstrasse 25/3/6, 6020 Innsbruck
Dr. Eric Endres / Dr. Heide Streicher
dk-alm@uibk.ac.at
+43 512 507-52760
We look forward to seeing you there!
Data protection notice
Photographs (or screenshots) and/or films may be taken during this event. By participating in the event, you acknowledge that photographs and video material on which you are depicted will be used for press coverage and published in various (social) media, publications and on websites of the University of Innsbruck. Further information on data protection can be found in our privacy policy atwww.uibk.ac.at/datenschutz
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