An Astrophysicist's Guide to Building a Black Hole

Talks on Tuesdays is a live event series bringing big ideas, real experts, and curious minds together - at your favourite local venues. Think thought-provoking lectures, audience questions, and post-talk mingling over drinks and dinner.

This isn’t a uni lecture. It’s a social, intelligent night out.Come alone or with friends, leave with something to talk about.

Event Schedule:

At Brick Lane guest can arrive anytime from 5pm to order food or have pre-lecture drinks and mingle.

7pm Lecuture Starts

7.45pm Q&A

8pm Talk Concludes

8.30pm Event Closes.

*Please arrive close to 6.30pm

A La Carte menu and full bar available throughout the night - pay as you go.

Your Topic:
An Astrophysicist's Guide to Building a Black Hole

Everyone's heard of black holes… but did you know there are millions in our galaxy alone, and that they're born from the ashes of their parents?!

In this talk, PhD researcher Jayde Willingham hands you the user's manual to the universe's strangest objects: how to make a black hole, how to keep it well fed, where to find one, and what happens if you get too close. We'll learn why astrophysicists are so fascinated by these cosmic giants, and how a single one can shape the fate of an entire galaxy. Along the way: the truth behind the scary headlines, the myth of the cosmic vacuum cleaner, and wait, what about wormholes?! Join Jayde as she dives into what scientists really do and don't know about the most extreme objects in existence.

Your Speaker:

Jayde Willingham is a PhD candidate in astrophysics at Swinburne University of Technology. Her research explores how the Universe came to be the way it is today; what it's made of, how galaxies and black holes are born, and how they change over time. Right now, she's investigating how the black holes at the hearts of galaxies grow, to help explain why astronomers are spotting far more massive objects in the early Universe than anyone expected.