This series of faculty for faculty talks is an opportunity for faculty to share current data science–related research activities with other faculty colleagues in an informal environment. The talks will be presented at a very general level, to stimulate discussion and interdisciplinary interchange of ideas.

Our goal is to provide a networking venue that promotes research collaborations between faculty across all disciplines; awareness of the breadth of data science–related research at Brown; and a forum for faculty to share their expertise with one another.

Participation is limited to Brown faculty members. Please click here to register, and the Zoom link will be sent to you before the event. 

Jonathan Pober, Department of Physics: Mapping the Universe with Radio Astronomy and Big Data 

The field of “21 cm cosmology” is one with a simple premise: all the neutral hydrogen gas in the Universe can be traced through its unique radio wave emission (the “21 centimeter line”). Mapping the hydrogen in the Universe in this way offers an unparalleled probe of cosmic evolution, the formation of the first stars and galaxies, and the make-up of the Universe. However, the hydrogen signal is swamped by other radio emission – both human-generated and astrophysical – and, to date, it has not been successfully measured. Extracting the signal from these contaminants will require that the radio telescopes performing the observations are modeled with a precision never before achieved in radio astronomy. In this presentation, I will highlight what a successful 21 cm cosmology experiment / analysis pipeline might look like, with an emphasis on the multiple data science challenges that arise as we attempt to make this measurement.

Register here.