One of the world’s leading theoretical physicists is coming to Kingston this week to explore some of the biggest mysteries of the universe.
Professor Marcela Carena of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics will deliver the 2026 Ewan Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026
The lecture, titled “The Invisible Universe: Higgs, Dark Matter and Gravitational Waves,” will examine the origins of mass and matter in the universe and the invisible forces that govern them.
Carena is a theoretical physicist whose research focuses on particle physics and cosmology, including the search for physics beyond the Standard Model, the framework used to describe the fundamental particles and forces of nature.
Over the course of roughly 95 minutes, the lecture will explore the role of the Higgs boson and Higgs field in understanding the origins of mass, as well as the mystery of dark matter, which is believed to make up a significant portion of the universe but cannot be directly observed through light.
Carena will also discuss gravitational waves, which provide scientists with another way of observing and studying some of the universe’s most extreme phenomena.
The event is being hosted in Kingston as part of the Ewan Memorial Lecture series and is being promoted by the McDonald Institute.
Admission is free, although organizers say tickets are limited, so those wishing to attend are encouraged to register soon.
Registration and event information are available through Queen’s University.