The WVUniverse series is back with an exciting lineup of public talks, perfectly tailored for all ages.
Duncan Lorimer is an observational astronomer specializing in single-dish radio astronomy.
Known for his contributions to pulsar astrophysics, and his role in the discovery of
fast radio bursts, Lorimer's main research interests involve understanding the
underlying populations of both pulsars and fast radio bursts and using them as
tools for Galactic astronomy and Cosmology.
Lorimer currently holds the rank of Professor of Physics and Astronomy at West
Virginia University (WVU).
While at WVU, Lorimer has received a Cottrell Scholar Award (2008) from the Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement and has received both College and University awards for excellence in teaching (2009, 2010) and for research as a Benedum Scholar (2019). From 2019 to 2024, he served the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences as Associate Dean for Research. Lorimer has been a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society since 1994 and in 2018 was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in recognition of his contributions to our understanding of pulsars, and for the discovery of fast radio bursts. In 2023, he was the co-recipient of the Shaw Prize in Astronomy along with Maura McLaughlin and Matthew Bailes for the discovery of fast radio bursts. Lorimer was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2024. Since 2025, Lorimer has been recognized as an Eberly Distinguished Chair for Academic Excellence.
A pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation that flashes a "pulse" as the beam that sweeps across Earth. The beams are very precise intervals of pulses that range from every millisecond to seconds. These highly regular pulses make them useful for astronomers to time observations, which are crucial to the field of gravitational wave astronomy and more.
WVUniverse talks are general audience, outreach talks that explore different fields of astronomy like cosmology, instrumentation, astrobiology, planetary science and more.
After each talk, a fun Kahoot quiz is offered and the lucky winner walks away with a prize.
"Pulsars: Nature's Finest Clocks" is free and open to all ages, but reservations are required as seating is limited and will likely fill quickly. Reserve your seats here:
https://www.ticketsource.com/booking/t-yarovez
WVUniverse Presents: "Pulsars Nature's Finest Clocks"
Featuring Duncan Lorimer, FRS
October 17, 2025
6:30 p.m.
WVU Planetarium and Observatory (take elevator up to PL)
White Hall, 135 Willey Street, Morgantown, WV. 26505
hal/09/25/25