How to Catch a Ghost: Neutrinos, Dark Matter & More with Georgia Karagiorgi

The quest to understand the origins and composition of our universe has inspired generations of thinkers and innovators, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and technology. Today, scientists are delving deeper than ever into the quantum realm, seeking to unravel some of nature’s most intriguing mysteries. At the heart of this are efforts to understand two elusive components of the cosmos: neutrinos—nearly invisible particles that rarely interact with matter—and dark matter—the unseen substance shaping galaxies and the cosmos. This lecture will explore the extraordinary lengths scientists go to capture and study these “ghostly” particles, from massive underground detectors to space-based observatories. Join us to learn how these investigations are shedding light on the hidden fabric of the universe and bringing us closer to answering some of science’s most profound questions. Georgia Karagiorgi is a particle physicist and associate professor of physics at Columbia University. She received her Ph.D. in experimental high-energy physics from MIT in 2010. She is interested in searches for new physics phenomena, and her research program includes the development of novel detector technology for the detection and study of neutrinos, low-energy gamma-rays, and indirect signals of dark matter. She is a member on several international scientific collaborations utilizing state-of-the-art cryogenic liquid argon detectors to detect these ghostly signals, including the accelerator-based Short Baseline Near Detector (SBND) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) in the U.S., and the future space-based Gamma Ray and AntiMatter Survey (GRAMS). She currently serves as Physics Analysis Coordinator for the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) experimental program in the U.S. and as GRAMS Spokesperson. This public lecture was recorded at Aspen Center for Physics on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Thank you to the Nick and Maggie DeWolf Foundation for making our winter lecture series possible since 1985. #physics #neutrinos #darkenergy #DUNE #darkmatter #particles #particlephysics #highenergyphysics #HEP #columbiauniversity #womeninstem #stem #dunescience #argon