RESEARCH: THE WEIGHT OF NOTHINGNESSThe structure of the universe looks like an enormous spider web containing vast empty regions called voids. By using a technique called gravitational lensing, an international team led by Ohio State CCAPP astrophysicists Peter Melchior and Paul Sutter inferred the mass inside voids — or rather — the absence thereof. This unprecedented measurement confirms earlier predictions and opens a new line of research that will provide insights into how gravity acts on cosmological scales.

The Ohio State University Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) is a leading-edge interdisciplinary research center that studies dark energy, dark matter, the origin of cosmic structure, and the highest energy particles in the universe to find answers to the fundamental questions “What is the universe made of?” and “How did it evolve?”

AT A GLANCE• 17 Postdoctoral Fellows

• 27 Faculty Members

• 17 Graduate Students

RESEARCH INTERESTS• Large scale structure, GRBs, AGN,

the IGM

• Gravitational lenses

• Dark energy and dark matter

• Ultra-high energy cosmic rays and gamma-rays

• Formation and evolution of elements

• Neutrino astrophysics and cosmology

ccapp.osu.edu

CENTER FOR COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS

Pushing the boundaries of mankind’s knowledge.

We are funded at the level of $5.7M for the next five years and anticipate a vigorous research program, commencing with the establishment of CCAPP Graduate Research Fellows, CCAPP Postdoctoral Fellows, CCAPP Distinguished Scholars and a series of mini-workshops coupled to CCAPP science initiatives. {John Beacom, Director, CCAPP}

A simulation of the cosmic web, every bright point represents a galaxy cluster and every empty space is a void.

CENTER FOR COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICSTHE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITYM2013 PHYSICS RESEARCH BUILDING, 191 W WOODRUFF AVECOLUMBUS, OHIO 43210(614) 292-3251

Director: John Beacom

RESEARCH, FACILITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTSThroughout any given year, there is a lot of activity hosting visitors (seminar series, research collaborations, workshops) and CCAPP is closely connected with the astronomy department. Over the last year, CCAPP hosted more than 100 visitors, six workshops, the Price Prize award and the annual Biard Lecture.

THE PRICE PRIZEAwarded annually to graduate students in recognition of research excellence in areas closely related to CCAPP science initiatives. The 2014 awardees are Shea Garrison-Kimmel, who studies dwarf galaxies, nature of dark matter and star formation, and Alessandro Sonnenfeld, who studies massive elliptical galaxies and their dark matter content.

RUBY CLUSTERA supercomputer cluster that is able to perform 145 trillion calculations per second, housed at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) on Ohio State’s west campus, allows CCAPP researchers to better connect theoretical models to observations.

3.2016 SR

The Biard Lecture on the future of space exploration with NASA astronauts John Glenn, John M. Grunsfield and Harrison H. Schmitt

THE ANNUAL R. JACK AND FOREST LYNN BIARD COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPHYSICS LECTURE SERIES Renowned scientists bring research in cosmology and astrophysics to the university community and the general public. The series is supported by a generous gift from Captain Forest R. Biard, U.S. Navy, Ret., a 1953 MS recipient from The Ohio State University.

OUTREACHEngaging the public of all ages through Columbus’s Center of Science and Industry (COSI) scientific programs, Ohio State’s Breakfast of Science Champions for middle school students, Science Sundays public lectures and high school internships. Mentoring the next generation of scientists through Bridge Programs and summer undergraduate research programs, workshops and seminars.