News & Events

Prof. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is visiting Queen’s University as part of the Fall 2023 Black Studies Events and will be giving two talks on November 9th.

Originally from East L.A., Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is a graduate of Harvard College, University of California — Santa Cruz, and the University of Waterloo. She is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of New Hampshire where she is a theorist in particle physics, cosmology, and astrophysics with an emphasis on dark matter. Her Nov. 9 physics talk: “Cosmic Probes of the Dark Sector” will motivate the 2020’s focus on astrophysics and cosmology for determining what exactly dark matter is comprised of. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein’s talk will focus most especially on questions relating to large-scale structure and axion-like particle models, as well as on asymmetric dark matter in neutron stars as valuable exemplars of interesting work that is underway.

In addition to Dr. Prescod-Weinstein’s work as a physics professor at UNH, she is also a core faculty member in women’s and gender studies. One of fewer than 100 Black American women to earn a PhD from a department of physics, she is also a regularly published theorist of Black feminist science, technology, and society studies, and a monthly columnist for New Scientist. A cofounder of Particles for Justice, she received the 2017 LGBT+ Physicists Acknowledgement of Excellence Award for her contributions to improving conditions for marginalized people in physics and the 2021 American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award for her contributions to particle cosmology. Her research and advocacy for marginalized people in physics and astronomy have won multiple awards, and her first book, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is rife with racism, misogyny, and other forms of oppression. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society, beginning with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky. The Disordered Cosmos dreams into existence a world that allows everyone to experience and understand the wonders of the universe.

Homo Narrans: Through the Looking Glass of Dark Matter

9 November 2023: 3.30pm-5.30pm

Humphrey Hall Auditorium

Registration Form