The Center for Gravitation and Cosmology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwauke was founded in 1967. Since then it has become one of the nation's largest and most active, comprising more than 30 members and nine professors. Research at the Center includes the study of:
Relativistic astrophysics and numerical relativity
Gravitational waves
Quantum and classical gravitation
Quantum fields in curved space-time
Cosmic ray astrophysics
Cosmology
Neutrino astronomy
Members of the Center play an important role in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC). LIGO is an ambitious project to detect and study gravitational waves from astrophysical objects such as black holes and supernovae. To process all the data generated by this experiment several supercomputers are needed. The Center has two, NEMO and MEDUSA, together equivalent to more than two thousand personal computers.
The group also collaborates with the Pierre Auger Observatory, which is working on solving the origin of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, the most energetic and rarest of particles in the universe.
The Center for Gravitation and Cosmology is committed to furthering science education and public outreach through several programs. One of them is the Arecibo Remote Control Center at UWM, a group of students and teachers that participates in state-of-the-art research, searching for new pulsars remotely using the world's largest radiotelescope.
Another program that was developed at the Center and that involves the participation of the public is Einstein@Home. Volunteers from all around the world sign up their computers to process data from gravitational wave detectors. In this way, people from all around the world can get involved in cutting-edge research.
The Center for Gravitation and Cosmology is currently supported by three National Science Fundation Awards.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
