TSI Seminar

Michael L. Wong (Carnegie Science)

Jan 14, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar

Astrobiology seeks to answer the age-old questions "Are we alone?" and "Where did we come from?" To advance these queries, my research takes on a unique blend of planetary science, data science, and philosophy. This talk will cover four of my most exciting projects. First, I will explore how the topologies of atmospheric chemical reaction networks of Solar System bodies are distinct from one another, with potential applications to exoplanet biosignatures. Second, I will show how we can look for in-situ biosignatures by combining pyrolysis–GC–MS measurements of a wide variety of terrestrial and extraterrestrial carbonaceous materials with machine learning, achieving >90% accuracy in the differentiation between samples of abiotic origins vs. biotic specimens. Third, I will propose a new time-asymmetric law that states that the functional information of a system will increase over time when subjected to selection for function(s). And finally, I will introduce four novel principles of "astrobioethics" that can serve to guide our future investigations of extraterrestrial environments.


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Past Events

24hrs of Science - From Planets to Particles: An Exploration Mini-Fair

May 3, 2025 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Rutherford Physics Building, ground floor
Public event
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Public Panel - "Life on Earth & Beyond"

Prof. Nagissa Mahmoudi & Prof. Richard Leveille (McGill EPS & TSI)

May 1, 2025 7:00 PM
Location: Leacock Building, Room 26
Public Talk
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TSI Seminar - Jonas Zmuidzinas

Jonas Zmuidzinas (Caltech)

Apr 15, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Gwen Eadie

Gwen Eadie (University of Toronto)

Apr 8, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Sara Ellison

Sara Ellison (University of Victoria)

Apr 1, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Special Seminar - Scott VanBommel

Scott VanBommel (McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences)

Mar 27, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
Special Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Philipp Moesta

Philipp Moesta (University of Amsterdam)

Mar 25, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Anna Ho

Anna Ho (Cornell University)

Mar 18, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Stephen Taylor

Stephen Taylor (Vanderbilt University)

Mar 11, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Keith McBride

Keith McBride (University of Chicago)

Feb 25, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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50 Years of Gamma-ray Bursts: The Most Powerful Explosions in the Universe

Dr. Lauren Rhodes (McGill)

Feb 18, 2025 7:00 PM
Location: Trottier 0100, Trottier Building 3630 University St, Montréal
Public Talk
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TSI Seminar - Alex Pedersen

Alex Pedersen (Queen's University MacDonald Institute)

Feb 18, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Gibwa Musoke

Gibwa Musoke (CITA)

Feb 11, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Smadar Naoz

Smadar Naoz (UCLA)

Feb 4, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Julie Hlavcek-Larrondo

Julie Hlavcek-Larrondo (Université de Montréal)

Jan 28, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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Into the Deep: Touring a Supermassive Black Hole (or Two!)

Daryl Haggard (McGill University)

Jan 22, 2025 7:00 PM
Location: McConnell Engineering Building 304
Physics Public Talk
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TSI Seminar

Michael L. Wong (Carnegie Science)

Jan 14, 2025 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Carola Knockwood

Carola Knockwood (Department of Education - Nova Scotia)

Dec 10, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Philipp Windischhofer

Philipp Windischhofer (University of Chicago)

Dec 3, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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Public Talk: Materials Science of Disasters (TSI & Physics)

Nikolas Provatas (McGill Physics)

Nov 28, 2024 7:00 PM
Location: ENGMC 204 Room, McConnell Engineering Building
Public Outreach
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TSI Seminar - David Hanna's Group

David Hanna's Group (McGill)

Nov 19, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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McGill Physics Hackathon

Nov 15, 2024 6:00 PM to Nov 17, 2024 6:00 PM
Location: Trottier Building
Outreach Event
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TSI Seminar- David Themens

David Themens (Birmingham/UNB)

Nov 12, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - Christopher Omelon

Christopher Omelon (Queen's University)

Nov 5, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
Seminar Event
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Public Talk: Dark Matter Day

TBA

Oct 30, 2024 7:00 PM
Outreach Event
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TSI Seminar- Alan McConnachie

Alan McConnachie (NRC HIA / U. Vic)

Oct 29, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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McGill Open House

Oct 27, 2024 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Outreach Event
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TSI Seminar- Andra Stroe

Andra Stroe (Harvard/CfA Clay Fellow)

Oct 22, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar - David Kipping

David Kipping (Columbia University)

Oct 8, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Public Talk - "From Clouds to Cosmic Giants: The formation and evolution of galaxies"

Prof. Tracy Webb (TSI & McGill Physics)

Oct 3, 2024 7:00 PM
Location: ENGTR 0100, Trottier Building, McGill University (3630 University St, Montréal)
Public Talk
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TSI Seminar- Mustafa Amin

Mustafa Amin (Rice University)

Oct 1, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar- Neal Dalal

Neal Dalal (Perimeter Institute)

Sep 24, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI Seminar- Abigail Crites

Abigail Crites (Cornell University)

Sep 17, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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TSI & Physics Outreach Volunteer Picnic

Sep 12, 2024 5:00 PM
Other Event
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TSI Seminar- Karen Alley

Karen Alley (University of Manitoba)

Sep 10, 2024 3:30 PM
Location: Bell Room (Rutherford 103)
TSI Seminar
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