Galactic Archeology

press release:

About the lecture: How did galaxies in the universe evolve with cosmic time? Astronomers address this issue in part by observing the faint light from distant, young galaxies and in part by exploring the details preserved by stars of different ages in nearby galaxies. Professor Grebel will take us on a cosmic journey that reveals a continuously changing universe where galaxies are not viewed as isolated "island universe" but rather as gregarious systems that evolve through interactions with their neighbors. Even our own Milky Way has cannibalized some of its smaller companions, and in the distant future our Galaxy will collide with the closest neighboring spiral, the Andromeda galaxy.

Professor Eva K. Grebel is one of the leaders of a new generation of European astronomers.  She is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Heidelberg where she also is director of the Institute for Astronomical Computations. Her contributions to astronomy and astrophysics have been recognized through numerous awards including recognition as one of the 25 leading female scientists in Germany and receipt of several major German prizes for outstanding research contributions. Professor Grebel also has served the German and European scientific communities in a number of capacities, including two terms as a member of the Senate of the German research Foundation. Professor Grebel also is an accomplished educator and active public speaker who frequently gives talks on astronomy in Europe.