Planets and stars in a galaxy sky

Centre for the Universe

Fundamental physics has entered its most exciting period in decades. Advanced experiments are revealing new phenomena and profound surprises. We believe that answers to some of the deepest questions in science are now within reach.

The Centre for the Universe at Perimeter Institute aims to establish Canada as a world leader in the field of cosmology by providing a focal point for research. It promises to transform our understanding of black holes, the big bang, dark matter, and dark energy.

Centre for the Universe at Perimeter Institute

Researchers and partners

Centre Director:

Scientific Patrons:

  • Stephen Hawking
  • Arthur B. McDonald

Steering Committee:

Founding Partners:

Researchers:

Distinguished Visiting Research Chairs:

 

Recruiting the world's best

The Centre will assemble a mix of eminent international leaders and rising young stars who will undertake some of the most ambitious research in basic science.
 
Perimeter will recruit several positions at senior and junior faculty levels. The Centre will also invest in workshops, visitors, and high-performance computing.
 
Illustration to show the Big Bang from spark of light into galaxies, planets, etc.

 

Founding partner institutes

Our founding partner institutes are: the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA); the Dunlap Institute at the University of Toronto; Queen's University/SNOLABUniversity of Guelph; the Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Waterloo; and York University.

These institutes are involved in some of the most important astronomical instruments of our time, including the Square Kilometre Array, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the Event Horizon Telescope, and CHIME.

Stephen Hawking on the Centre for the Universe at Perimeter

Ties to experiments

Perimeter scientists are connected to some of the most important experiments of our time, including:

  • The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)
  • The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)
  • SNOLAB
  • The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)

The Centre will deepen its involvement in these experiments, forging a unique combination of theoretical and experimental strengths.

Telescopes in a field at night under a starry sky
The CHIME telescope in British Columbia. (Photo courtesy Andre Renard, Dunlap Institute.)

Public talks and news