John Mulchaey, director of the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, is expected to provide insight into today’s “golden age” of astronomy and the promise it holds for understanding our universe when he speaks at the San Marino City Club’s virtual meeting on Oct. 20.
Mulchaey will discuss Pasadena as a leading center of astronomical research and discovery and the impact of studies performed at the Carnegie observatories. He’ll also discuss current research on the evolution of the cosmos, galaxy and star formation, dark matter, black holes and much more.
Founded in 1904, the Observatories are renowned for research on the evolution of the universe.
Mulchaey earned his Bachelor of Science in astrophysics from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Maryland. He was a Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellow before joining the scientific staff in 1999, and served as associate director for academic affairs before being named the Observatories’ 11th director in 2015.
Today, Mulchaey oversees Carnegie’s campus in Pasadena as well as the Observatories’ large-telescopes facility in Las Campanas, Chile. He is also on the board for the Giant Magellan Telescope, a next-generation telescope being designed in Pasadena.
In 1993, he led the team that discovered large amounts of dark matter in the local universe, findings that received front-page coverage in the New York Times and a feature in Time magazine. In 2016, Mulchaey appeared in the press as part of a team that identified for the first time a mysterious fast radio burst. He is also a frequent consultant to NASA and the National Science Foundation.
In addition to his research, Mulchaey is actively involved in public outreach and educational activities throughout Los Angeles. He created the annual Carnegie Observatories Astronomy Lectures, a popular series held each spring at the Huntington Library. He also hosts astronomy nights at many schools and civic organizations. Mulchaey secured funding for the creation of science rooms at three local elementary schools, and founded a program for gifted high school science students. In October 2019, he was featured in “Discovering the Universe,” an episode of the KCET series “Lost L.A.”
Guests are welcome to attend this virtual event for $15 ($10 for children), payable prior to the start of the program by check or credit card. City Club members may RSVP by emailing cityclubrsvp@gmail.com, or by calling (626) 765-4411 and leaving a message with the member’s name and the full name of any guest whom the member wishes to invite. All registrants will receive an email with the Zoom meeting information and password. For more information on this event, visit sanmarinocityclub.org. Information on the club, including how to join, also is available at the website.
