School of Physics & Astronomy
Date: Monday 30 June 2025
Time: 17:30 - 19:00
Venue: Glasgow University Union
Category: Concerts and music, Public lectures, Social events
Speaker: Lewis Hou (Science Ceilidh) & Daniel Williams (Institute for Gravitational Research)

Welcome to The Gravitational Wave Ceilidh!

Come join us help trial two brand new dances exploring gravitational waves at Glasgow University Union. Get ready to learn more about the research and then spin as colliding black holes to traditional Scottish music.

No experience is necessary - whether you're a seasoned ceilidh dancer or a complete beginner, everyone is welcome!

This event is a public talk about the project followed by a public preview of two new Ceilidh dances.

The event includes:

  • A talk from Lewis Hou, founder of the organisation Science Ceilidh about their work engaging communities through traditional arts and dance .
  • A talk from Dr Williams from the Institute of Gravitational Research about the science of gravitational wave astronomy that has inspired these new dances.
  • The main event: the preview of the new Gravitational Wave Ceilidh dances with live fiddle, audience participation encouraged!

The ceilidh demonstration will feature new dances that explore the astrophysics of spinning and colliding black holes and the cosmic music of gravitational waves they create, and will explain how we are able detect or 'hear' these waves that travel from distant galaxies to us here on Earth.

Science Ceilidh is an award-winning organisation supporting cultural and knowledge democracy through community-led research along with transdisciplinary education and youthwork programmes across Scotland. One of the creative approaches they have developed includes using ceilidh dance and traditional arts to explore research along with curriculum-linked resources - from the “Orcadian Strip-the-Helix” exploring DNA to Climate Ceilidhs bringing new communities into climate conversations. Now Science Ceilidh are proud to present new dances centered on the astrophysics of gravitational wave detection

More information and examples of their dances can be found on their website: www.scienceceilidh.com

The Institute for Gravitational Research is a research group at the University of Glasgow whose work into gravitational-wave detection covers areas of materials science and instrumentation that went into making gravitational wave detection possible and the astrophysical analysis and astronomy that allows us to use these signals to learn more about our Universe.

www.gla.ac.uk/schools/physics/research/groups/igr

Photography Notice:

Please note that there will be filming and photography at this event and the University will retain this footage to be used in a future press release.

More information