A journey into the black holes: how we imagine their interior spacetimes
7:30 pm, Monday November 4, 2024
TELUS World of Science – Zeidler Dome
FREE and open to the public.
This is a hybrid meeting. You may attend in person or via zoom.
A journey into the black holes: how we imagine their interior spacetimes
Guest Speaker: Dr. Saeed Rastgoo, University of Alberta

Image of the black hole in M81 by the Event Horizon Telescope
There is probably nobody who has not heard about black holes. But have you ever wondered what happens inside a black hole? Do you see something strange? Why can’t you get out? Or can you? If you can, will you get back to the familiar spacetime from which you entered the black hole? In this talk I will explain how us physicists imagine the structure of spacetime in a graphical manner and how we use that machinery to figure out what we will see if we fall into a black hole. So buckle up and enjoy the “attractive” ride!

Saaed Rastgoo
I am currently an assistant professor jointly between the Departments of Physics and Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Alberta. My research is primarily focused on classical and quantum gravity, black holes, cosmology, and quantum field theory. I did my PhD in quantum gravity at Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay under the supervision of Rodolfo Gambini, a world leader in loop quantum gravity and black holes. I have held postdoctoral positions at Metropolitan Autonomous University and also at UNAM in Mexico. Prior to my current position, I was an assistant professor at York University in Toronto from 2020 to 2022, and an assistant professor at Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico from 2018 to 2019.