Description: The catastrophic deaths of massive stars–supernova explosions–are among the most powerful and important events in the cosmos. Supernovae strongly shape the structure and chemistry of their host galaxies; they produce a variety of exotic objects including neutron stars, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts; and, perhaps most importantly, supernova debris ejected into interstellar space is chock full of the heavy elements that make planets and life possible. Dr. Milisavljevic will provide a vivid description of historical supernovae that occurred in our own Milky Way galaxy, and outline plans for a coordinated global response to the next “Big One.” Particular emphasis will be drawn to the special role that American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) members will have in responding to an alert from the Supernova Early Warning System (SNEWS), which is a network of neutrino detectors around the world designed to rapidly provide the first announcement when the next once-in-a-century Galactic supernova occurs.

Dr. Dan Milisavljevic is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University. He completed his undergraduate degree in liberal arts at McMaster University; masters degree in philosophy at the London School of Economics, under a Commonwealth Fellowship; and PhD in physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. He’s held research positions at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Milisavljevic’s research interests include multi-messenger signals of astrophysical transients discovered via time-domain surveys; autonomous AI-directed coordination of global observing facilities; the explosion mechanisms, progenitor stars, and compact object remnants of supernovae; massive star mass loss; and the formation and destruction of dust and molecules.