Build-a-Detector workshop 2025

workshop 2025 logo

For Whom:

This is the second year this workshop will be running and we hope to welcome master and phD students eager to learn about the fascinating world of Gravitational wave research!

Date:

10th - 21st November 2025

Aim:

The workshop will teach students about gravitational wave (GW) science and the necessary considerations taken in order to design and concept-build a gravitational wave detector as well as the likely signals to be measured. A set of lectures will be given on the main budget noises as well as the possible sources to detect. There will be assignments at the end of each lecture which will be discussed in each Q&A session. The last three days of the workshop will be focused on the teams designing their own gravitational wave detector with its own noise budget and source plot. The team with the best design will be awarded a prize.

Program Features:

  • Learn GW science from expert GW scientists from all around the globe!
  • Opportunity to learn about requirements and demands needed for gravitational wave detectors.
  • Exciting opportunity for the students to collaborate and design their own detector and win prizes.

About the workshop:

  • Duration : two week long programme (10 days)
  • Lectures will be pre-recorded and Q&As will be hosted live via Zoom.
  • All Attendees will be given a certificate for participation and the team with the “best” concept design will be awarded a prize. The winning team will be awared a visit to The University of Glasgow and Startchlyde University to tour their labs and see the work being done. They will also give a presentation of their design to members of the Insititute for Gravitational research.

Contact:

Should you have any question please contact: Dr. Mariela Masso Reid

 

Timetable:

Build-a-detector 2025 Timetable

 

 

Day 1

 
Lecture topic & speaker Link
Welcome - Dr. Mariela Masso Reid 
LIGO India EPO welcome- Dr. Debarati Chatterjee   https://youtu.be/Qcyq4sLNX1I
LIGO India - An introduction - Prof. Sanjit Mitra  
Thermal noise - Prof. Gianpietro Cagnoli     
Coating Brownian noise - Dr. Mariana Fazio    
Newtonian (gravity gradient) noise - Dr. Nikhil Mukund    
   

Day 2

Lecture topic & speaker Link
Quantum noise - Dr. Jonas Junker    
Seismic noise - Dr. Conor Mow-Lowry     

 3pm IST

Q&A - Thermal noise + Coating noise

   

6:30pm IST

Q&A - Newtonian noise

 

https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/88239431728?pwd=qIjawXAm8BjU6qp7chG72SbbX2XM8K.1

 

Day 3

Lecture topic & speaker Link
Continuous/periodic sources - Prof. Paola Leaci  
Calescing compact binary - Prof. Archana Pai  

Live session at 3pm IST

Q&A - Seismic noise

 

Live session at 6:30pm IST

Q&A - Quatum noise

 
   

Day 4

Lecture topic & speakerLink
Neutron star transients - Dr. Ian Jones    
tochastic sources - Dr. Shivaraj Kandhasamy  
Q&A - Continuous / periodic source  
Q&A - Coalescing compact binary  

 

Day 5

Lecture topic & speakerLink
Basics of searching for signals in the data – Dr. Ian Harry   
Building a detector - Prof. David Shoemaker   
Introduction to PyGWINC - Dr. Jamie Rollins  
Basic detector design with PyGWINC - Dr. Kevin Kuns    
Q&A - Stochastic sources  
Q&A - Neutron star transients  

 

Day 6

LecturesLink
Motivation: Why do we need larger networks - Prof. Marica Branchesi  
Q&A - Basics of searching for signals in the data  
Q&A - Building a detector  

Day 7

LecturesLink
Tutorial on PyGWINC  
Drop in Session  

Day 8

LecturesLink
Q&A - PyGWINC  
Drop in Session  

Day 9

Drop ins sessions
Drop in Session 
Submit video proposals

 

Day 10 - Closing + Awards

Closing + Awards