The IEEE Milestones program honors significant technical achievements in all areas associated with IEEE. It is a program of the IEEE History Committee, administered through the IEEE History Center. Milestones recognize the technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity found in unique products, services, seminal papers, and patents.
On February 3, 2021, at 5.30 pm CET an international ceremony will be held online for the joint recognition of three Milestones “Gravitational-Wave Antenna, 1972-1989” at the laboratories of :
LIGO Hanford, Washington, LIGO Livingston, Louisiana, with the two citations:
“Initially developed from 1972 to 1989, the Gravitational-Wave Antenna enabled detection of ripples in spacetime propagating at the speed of light, as predicted by Albert Einstein’s 1916 Theory of General Relativity. Construction of Hanford’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) commenced in 1994. In 2015, LIGO antennas, located in [Washington and in Louisiana], first detected gravitational waves produced 1.3 billion years ago from two merging black holes. “
Virgo, Cascina (PI), with the citation:
“Initially developed from 1972 to 1989, the Gravitational-Wave Antenna enabled detection of ripples in spacetime propagating at the speed of light, as predicted by Albert Einstein’s 1916 Theory of General Relativity. Construction of the Virgo Gravitational-Wave Observatory commenced in 1997. In 2017, Virgo and two antennas located in the USA launched the era of Multi-Messenger Astronomy with the coordinated detection of gravitational waves from a binary neutron star merger. “
The program will include international scientific personalities with the particular contribution of 4 Nobel laureates and historical figures who contributed to the realization of the Virgo antenna. Details of the day and other information are available directly on the website: gwamilestone.com
On February the 3rd at 4.30 pm CET, the IEEE Italy Section together with the Director of EGO-Virgo prof. Stavros Katsanevas organizes a pre-ceremony with the contributions of the authorities and representatives of EGO-Virgo. More information on the program available at:
https://www.ego-gw.it/blog/2021/01/25/ieee-milestone-virgo/
No registration is required for this event, which will be transmitted in live streaming on the youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/EGOtheVirgoCollaboration