Colloquium

Upcoming Colloquium

A Cluster Carol: Asteroseismology of Red Giants in Stellar Clusters
Dr. Madeline Howell, The Ohio State University

February 16, 2026
11:00am in HSCI-105

Madeline Howell

Stellar clusters are powerful tools for tracing the evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy. Their homogeneous populations also make them excellent laboratories for testing stellar evolution theories. Asteroseismology, which is the study of stellar oscillations, enhances cluster research with the ability to measure precise stellar masses and ages. In this talk, I present the previous and on-going research of red giant asteroseismology in stellar clusters from the past mission Kepler, the present mission TESS, and the future mission Roman. I will focus on how asteroseismic mass measurements of red giant stars provide constraints on stellar mass loss, a long-standing uncertainty in stellar modelling, and highlight recent evidence of a non-linear trend between mass loss and metallicity. I also discuss the limitations of the past and present missions for this work, and how they are being addressed in the future mission Roman.

a cluster carol
Fig.: A Cluster Carol - a look at the past, present, and future of asteroseismic detections in stellar clusters with space-based photometry.

About the Colloquium

The Colloquium is a unique opportunity for students to learn about new developments in physics and what physicists do after they graduate. Hosted by the Physics and Astronomy Department at California State University, Long Beach, the weekly meetings invite guests from universities, research laboratories, and industry to present and discuss current topics in physics. All students are encouraged to attend for a well-rounded experience and training in physics.

Colloquium Coordinator

For information and suggestions about the colloquium please contact the colloquium coordinator:

Dr. Zoltan Papp
Zoltan.Papp@csulb.edu

Schedule

Additional details will be posted as they become available.

Spring 2026 Colloquia
DateTitleSpeaker and Affiliation
February 16, 2026A Cluster Carol: Asteroseismology of Red Giants in Stellar ClustersDr. Madeline Howell, The Ohio State University
February 23, 2026TBATBA
March 2, 2026TBATBA
March 9, 2026TBADr. Jon Feicht, LIGO @ Caltech
March 23, 2026TBADr. Kalman Varga, Vanderbilt University
April 6, 2026TBADr. Michael Ratz, UC Irvine 
April 13, 2026Distinguished Lecture SpeakerDr. Stuart Parkin, Max Planck Institute - Halle, Germany
April 20, 2026TBADr. Tamar Mentzel, UC Riverside
April 27, 2026TBADr. Andreas Bill, CSU Long Beach
May 4, 2026Student Research Presentations IPhysics students, CSU Long Beach
May 6, 2026Student Research Presentations IIPhysics students, CSU Long Beach

Previous Colloquia

Previous Colloquia for Spring 2026
DateTitleSpeaker and Affiliation
February 9, 2026An Electronic Structure Toolbox for Quantum MaterialsDr. Nicholas Dale, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
February 2, 2026Magnetic Proximity Effects and Spin–Orbit Torque in Two-Dimensional Ferromagnet HeterostructuresDr. Mark Lohmann, Caltech
January 26, 2026Neural Network–Based Classification and Regression of Magnetohydrodynamic Modes in TokamaksDr. Laszlo Bardoczi, UC Irvine

The Colloquium Archive has the Colloquia from previous semesters.

Sponsors

We acknowledge with gratitude donations and support from the following present sponsors:

  • H.E. and H.B. Miller and Family Endowment
  • Benjamin Carter
  • Mary L. Bresnan
  • K. Y. Shen
  • American Physical Society
  • Anonymous

We also acknowledge with gratitude our past donors: The Forty-Niner Shops, Inc., The Northrop Grumman Foundation, Sandra Dana, Anonymous.

If you wish to support the Colloquium, please contact the colloquium coordinator or the department chair. Thank you!