Dr. Sreekanth Harikumar

Dr. Sreekanth Harikumar

Postdoc

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publications

talks

Ripple in spacetime: The way we hear Black Holes

Published:

Until recently, everything we knew about the Universe came from electromagnetic waves like light in all its forms emitted by stars, galaxies, and other cosmic objects. However, observing black holes using light is extremely challenging because they do not emit light directly. In 2015, a revolutionary discovery changed the way we explore the cosmos. Scientists detected gravitational waves for the first time, tiny ripples in space and time produced when massive objects like binary black holes collide and merge. This marked the beginning of a completely new way of observing the Universe, using a messenger different from light. In this talk, I will introduce you to binary black holes and neutron stars, explain how we detect them using gravitational waves, and discuss how these observations are opening a new window onto the Universe and shaping the future of astronomy.

Gravitational Wave Astronomy: A New Frontier in Astrophysics

Published:

The first direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in 2015 opened a completely new observational window on the Universe. Since then, gravitational wave (GW) observations have revealed merging black holes and neutron stars and have begun to transform our understanding of the most extreme objects in the cosmos.

teaching

Gravitational Waves: Theory & Analysis

Doctoral Studies, Room 30, Seminar Room CAMK, 2026

This course provides a introduction to gravitational waves (GWs), from their theoretical prediction in General Relativity to modern detection techniques and astrophysical applications. Students will learn the mathematical foundations of gravitational radiation, data analysis methods, gravitational lensing and the scientific discoveries enabled by current GW observatories.