24th Solvay Public Lectures
Gravitational Waves: From Cosmology to Black Holes
Since 2005, the International Solvay Institutes have been organising an annual conference for the general public, inviting leading scientists of the highest level to talk about the latest developments in the fields of chemistry, physics and biology.
After the two lectures, a panel of renowned scientists will answer your questions. You can already submit your questions via this form, until 19 October.
Speakers
Testing the Fundamental Nature of Gravity with Gravitational Waves
Claudia de Rham
Imperial College London, UK
Probing Black Holes with Gravitational Waves
Kip Thorne
2017 Nobel Laureate in Physics
Caltech, USA
Programme
Opening
15:00
Marc Henneaux
ULB & International Solvay Institutes
Alexandre Sevrin
Moderator
VUB, Brussels
ULB / VUB Syensqo awards ceremony
15:15
Kazuhiko Yokota
Research & Innovation Belgium Director, Syensqo
Lecture
15:45
Kip Thorne
2017 Nobel Laureate in Physics
Caltech, USA
Lecture
16:25
Claudia de Rham
Imperial College London, UK
Panel Discussion
17:05
David Gross
Chair
2004 Nobel Laureate in Physics
KITP, UC Santa Barbara, USA
Roger Blandford
Stanford U., USA
Alessandra Buonanno
Albert-Einstein-Institute, Germany
Neil Cornish
Montana State U., USA
Claudia de Rham
Imperial College London, UK
Maura McLaughlin
West Virginia U., USA
Kip Thorne
2017 Nobel Laureate in Physics
Caltech, USA
Closing
17:55
Marc Henneaux
ULB & International Solvay Institutes
Drink reception
18:00
Sunday 25 October 2026 – 15:00 (doors open at 14:30)
Flagey – Studio 4
Place Sainte-Croix
1050 Bruxelles
Language : English – translation in both French and Dutch
"We need scientists to be heard and to be lauded, we need to show that science is a fascinating subject raising intriguing and captivating challenges, and we need to demonstrate that it is extraordinarily important for the future of humanity to pursue scientific advances, which are critical to the survival of human beings on earth. Hence our commitment to public events and lectures."
Jean-Marie Solvay, great-grandson of Ernest Solvay, President
Archives
