2023 Beatrice Hill-Tinsley Lecture – Cosmic Cataclysms, a Dynamic and Changing Universe

The RASNZ Lecture Trust is pleased to announce that the 2023 BHT lecturer is Dr Ryan Ridden. 

Ryan is an astrophysicist at the University of Canterbury. He studies some of the largest explosions in the Universe that are caused by exploding stars, colliding stars, and hungry black holes. To study these extreme objects, he uses space telescopes like TESS, and the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as some of the largest telescopes on Earth.  

Ryan grew up in Christchurch and got his start in astronomy during secondary school, helping the Canterbury Astronomical Society with their public nights. After completing an Honours degree in Mathematical Physics at the University of Canterbury in 2015, he obtained a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics at the Australian National University. During his PhD, he discovered several new cataclysmic variable stars. In 2019, he began a postdoc at the Space Telescope Science Institute, where he built data analysis tools for space telescopes. In 2021 Ryan returned to the University Canterbury and is now leading a research group with the support of a Marsden Fast Start Grant, and a Rutherford Postdoctoral Fellowship. Alongside his research Ryan has given numerous public talks, helped build the Young Stars outreach programme, and produced educational videos on YouTube. 

Attendance is free but you need to book tickets via https://ryanridden.eventbrite.co.nz