Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist Eric Cornell to Present Chester Peterson Jr. Public Lecture in Physics

Nobel Prize–winning physicist Eric Cornell, professor of physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and fellow of JILA, will deliver the Chester Peterson, Jr. Public Lecture in Physics on April 14, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. in 101 Cardwell Hall at Kansas State University. The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at 4:00 p.m. in 119 Cardwell Hall at 1228 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Manhattan, Kansas.

Cornell shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for the first creation of a Bose–Einstein condensate, a groundbreaking achievement that opened new avenues for exploring the quantum properties of matter at extremely low temperatures. His pioneering work has had a lasting impact on atomic physics and quantum science.

In his non-technical talk, “Looking for Fossils of the Big Bang,” Cornell will describe a new approach to understanding the earliest moments of the universe. Rather than relying exclusively on ever-more-powerful telescopes or increasingly large particle accelerators, he will present a third strategy—one analogous to fossil hunting.

Cornell will show that a deeper examination of the humble electron may uncover clues about cosmic mysteries dating back 14 billion years. By studying subtle properties of subatomic particles today, physicists may find evidence for new particles and gain insight into conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang. Intended for a broad audience, the lecture will present these ideas in an accessible and engaging manner, demonstrating how precision measurements in modern laboratories can illuminate the universe’s earliest history.

Cornell earned his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has received numerous honors recognizing his contributions to experimental physics.

The Chester Peterson, Jr. Public Lecture in Physics is supported by an endowment established to promote an annual public lecture focused on cosmology or quantum mechanics. Students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to attend.