Today, we know that everything visible in the universe is made from a set of basic building blocks known as elementary particles. We call this picture the standard model of particle physics, and we understand it in great mathematical detail. Comprehending the standard model is an enormous achievement – but we are now certain that it describes very little of what’s out there. In this talk, Prof. Prescod-Weinstein will discuss the effort to understand dark matter and how this work can help motivate us to build a better world. She will also speak about gender- and race-related issues in science.

Attendees will received a 10% discount on Prof. Prescod-Weinstein's book The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred. A book signing event will follow the lecture.

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women’s and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her research in theoretical physics focuses on cosmology, neutron stars, and dark matter. She additionally does research in Black feminist science, technology, and society studies. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is also a columnist for New Scientist and Physics World. Nature recognized her as one of 10 people who shaped science in 2020, and Essence magazine has recognized her as one of "15 Black Women Who Are Paving the Way in STEM and Breaking Barriers." 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 first book The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred was named a Best Book of 2021 by Publishers Weekly, Smithsonian Magazine, and Kirkus. It has been a finalist for several awards including the 2022 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and the 2022 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Science and Technology category. The Disordered Cosmos has also been longlisted for the OCM Bocas Prize in Caribbean Literature. Originally from East L.A., she divides her time between the New Hampshire Seacoast and Cambridge, Massachusetts.