David J. Helfand: Space, Time, and Spacetime

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | What would it be like to ride on a beam of light? Albert Einstein took this question seriously and, after a decade of contemplation, proposed an answer that radically transformed our notions of time, space, and gravity. Einstein's theory of Relativity has passed tests of increasing stringency over the past century, predicting exotica such as black holes and gravitational waves, but increasingly essential in quotidian tasks such as your phone's GPS. We will explore the non-intuitive concepts of relativity by constructing spacetime diagrams that illustrate the essential unity of these two disparate constructs and will demonstrate the highly disturbing consequences of faster-than-light travel.

David J. Helfand, a faculty member at Columbia University for 48 years, served nearly half of that time as Chair of the Department of Astronomy. He is the author of over 200 scientific publications and has mentored 22 PhD students, but most of his pedagogical efforts have been aimed at teaching science to non-science majors. He instituted the first change in Columbia's famed Core Curriculum in 75 years by introducing the course Frontiers of Science, now required for all first-year students. In 2005, he joined an effort to create Canada's first independent, non-profit university, Quest University Canada, where he served as President & Vice-Chancellor from 2008-2015.  He completed a four-year term as President of the American Astronomical Society, and is currently Chair of the American Institute of Physics. His first book, A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age appeared, appropriately enough, in 2016. His second book, The Universal Timekeepers: Reconstructing History Atom by Atom” appeared last fall.