Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) researcher Alba Romero-Rodriguez has been honoured with the international Virgo Award for her work on gravitational waves, according to the VUB.
Romero-Rodriguez, a postdoctoral fellow in the VUB’s Physics research group, was recognised on 9 November for her research on gravitational waves and her contribution to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).
LIGO can detect minute alterations in space-time triggered by the passage of gravitational waves. These measurements provide researchers with information about the origin of the waves and the nature of their source, such as colliding black holes or neutron stars.
Since its initiation in 2015, LIGO has made history several times by detecting gravitational waves, “opening a new window on observing the universe,” the VUB said.
Ms. Romero-Rodriguez has significantly contributed to these achievements by refining the precision of measuring instruments and identifying noise caused by ground vibrations, traffic, or equipment-temperature fluctuations, the Brussels-based university said.
