Cosmology Masters Student Wins Award at National Physics Conference

BY: .

Masters student at UKZN’s Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit (ACRU), Ms Heather Prince, has won an award for best Masters of Science Oral Presentation in the Astrophysics track at the annual SA Institute of Physics conference in Johannesburg.

Said Prince: ‘My presentation was on how matter in space bends lights, a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. This phenomenon can be detected through its effect on the pattern of irregularities in the cosmic microwave background, the relic light from the Big Bang.’

Gravitational lensing is used to study the distribution of matter in the universe.

‘I was ecstatic about the award because I worked very hard on my presentation and this was the first conference I have spoken at,’ said Prince.

She plans to speak about her research again at the upcoming Dark Side of the Universe conference in Cape Town later this year.

-          Strini Rajgopaul