Eve M. Vavagiakis on What goes into Cosmological Observations

The universe is about 14 billion years old. Ever wondered—how do we even know the age of the universe? How can we look up at the sky and read time itself? We do this by studying the afterglow of the Big Bang, called the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR)—relic radiation from the very beginning of the universe. Physicists build ultra-cold microwave telescopes—cryogenic cameras with incredibly sensitive detectors—that can spot tiny temperature changes and faint polarization, and even see how gravity bends that light.In this episode, Dr. Eve Vavagiakis, an experimental cosmologist at Duke University, takes us behind the scenes of how these instruments are designed, built, and calibrated across ACT, the Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime, and CMB-S4. Her expertise spans cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting detectors, and extracting meaningful physics from enormous datasets. She also writes children’s science books that turn big cosmic ideas into playful stories for young readers—bringing neutrinos, black holes, and photons to life. She believes kids should have access to—even if not a complete understanding of—the latest discoveries and complex ideas. If you wonder how we know the universe’s age—or you just like telescopes—you’re in for a delight.About the guestDr. Eve Vavagiakis is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Duke University. She builds instruments and analyzes data for cosmology and astrophysics, and works with the ACT, CCAT-prime, Simons Observatory, and CMB-S4 collaborations. Her interests include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting detectors, and cross-correlation studies that reveal the physics of galaxy clusters and the universe. Previously an NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell, she’s also the author of the Meet the Universe children’s book series from MIT Kids Press. Students excited about instrumentation or data analysis are welcome to reach out.Website: https://evevavagiakis.com