Have stars been solved? | Dr. Catherine Lovekin | TEDxMountAllisonUniversity

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Dr Catherine Lovekin explores several aspects of stars that still have not been solved by astrophysicists. By describing models and the gaps that remain, we discover not only how much further science has to go in this field, but why we should care.

Dr. Lovekin earned her PhD at Saint Mary's University in 2008 investigating the non-radial oscillation properties of rapidly rotating stars. She was awarded the Plaskett medal for this work in 2009. After graduation, she continued her work on stellar pulsation as a postdoctoral researcher at the Paris Observatory. In 2010, she moved to Los Alamos National Laboratory for another postdoctoral position and began to study more aspects of the lives of massive stars. In particular, she studied the effects of mass loss from radiatively driven winds and the Luminous Blue Variable phase of evolution. In July, she returned to Canada to take up a position as assistant professor in the Physics Department at Mount Allison University. Her research focuses on exploring the lives and deaths of massive stars. These short-lived, often rapidly rotating stars pose significant challenges for numerical models. Dr. Lovekin uses a many-pronged approach to overcome these obstacles, including two-dimensional stellar evolution models and pulsation codes. These tools allow her to investigate the interior structure of massive stars, as well as their mass loss rates and later stages of evolution.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)