"Uncovering Dark Matter with Compact Objects and Automatic Differentiation"

The nature of dark matter (DM) in the Universe remains one of the great open questions of particle astrophysics and cosmology today. The WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle) DM paradigm has fallen, leaving us with a wide range of possible DM models and signatures. New methods and ideas are required to efficiently progress. I will discuss ongoing searches for axion DM signatures using radio observations of neutron stars, and discuss the potential role of black holes and gravitational waves. I will...

Rachel Cochrane (ITC), “Resolving dusty, distant galaxies with observations and simulations”

Bart Ripperda (CCA), “Magnetic reconnection and plasmoid formation in black hole accretion flows”

Amaya Moro-Martin (STScI), “Cloudy with a chance of giant snowflakes”

Erika Wright (CfA), “Equity in STEM Engagement: Challenges and Strategies”

"Learning Cosmology with the First Stars"

I will describe how upcoming 21-cm measurements during cosmic dawn will provide a trove of new cosmological information. This era saw the formation of the first stars, which excited neutral hydrogen and allowed it to absorb 21-cm photons from the CMB. The timing of this signal carries information on the abundance of the small mini-halos that hosted the first stars, allowing us to probe the matter power spectrum at smaller scales than currently possible. Moreover, I will describe how the relative velocities between dark matter and...