Gravity is the overarching miracle connecting everything, everywhere, forever in the Universe. But the brightest minds in physics are yet to uncover its secrets.
At this year’s Festive Lecture, Professor Claudia de Rham, Imperial’s Professor of Theoretical Physics and Director of the Abdus Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics, invites you to join her on a captivating adventure navigating the different meanings of gravity and the lessons learned through a life in pursuit of gravity.
With Professor de Rham, we’ll consider predicting our own fall and embracing free-fall (or more scientifically) how gravity manifests itself through the curvature of spacetime. We’ll think about universality, gravity’s well-hidden sense of humour and ask if gravity – the most subtle and delicate phenomenon known to exist – could ultimately end up being the most important ingredient in the whole Universe?
Lecture 19.00 to 20.30, with refreshments from 18.20
About our speaker
Professor Claudia de Rham researches gravity, particle physics and cosmology in pursuit of a more fundamental description of the nature of our Universe and the laws that govern it. Her work has provided new perspectives to understand the origin of the Universe, its accelerated expansion and the fundamental nature of gravity.
Professor de Rham is ranked among the most impactful researchers in fundamental physics of the past decade and her contributions to science have been recognised by numerous grants and awards, including the Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award and the Adams Prize for contributions to Mathematics, the Blavatnik Award for Young Physicists in the UK and the Beate Naroska Senior Guest Professorship Award. In 2020, she was named as the Simons Investigator in Physics.
Professor Claudia de Rham is also the author of the popular science book The Beauty of Falling – A Life in Pursuit of Gravity published with Princeton University Press in April 2024.
Useful to know
Our Festive Lecture is most suitable for young people in years 11 to 13 (aged between 16 and 18), but parents, guardians and anyone fascinated by the wonders of the universe are welcome to attend. Larger school groups are welcome to attend and can be booked via our booking form.
You can join us from 18.20 for refreshments and talk to our student ambassadors and members of staff, on hand to answer your questions about studying at Imperial.
Questions and queries
Contact us at visit@imperial.ac.uk for more information about the event, how to book and to let us know about any accessibility requirements.