Activities

• Cosmology Seminars
• Master Seminars
• Outreach Events
• Conferences

Cosmology Seminars

Specialized seminars organized by the cosmology group covering the research interests of the group. Given by invited speakers. Click on the talk title for abstract and further details.

11/03/2026, TBD (Azadeh Moradinezhad, LapTh)

11:30, 11/03/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: TBC

08/04/2026, TBD (Boryana Hadzhiyska, Cambridge University)

11:30, 08/04/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: TBC

22/04/2026, TBD (Henrique Rubira, LMU and Cambridge University)

11:30, 22/04/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: TBC

06/05/2026, TBD (Martinne Lokken, IFAE)

11:30, 06/05/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: TBC

Master Seminars

Seminars part of the Master in Particle Physics and Physics of the Cosmos of the University of Cantabria and International University Menéndez Pelayo, coordinated by IFCA. Broader topics and treated at an introductory level. We only list here those related with cosmology. Click on the talk title for abstract and further details.

06/02/2026, Black hole echoes and boundary effective field theory (Subodh Patil, Leiden University)

12:00, 06/02/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: The idea that black holes may not have purely infalling boundary conditions at the horizon has a range of theoretical and phenomenological motivations. The inevitable result is that any post-merger ringdown will exhibit echoes. Given the fact that boundary conditions in any field theory can be implemented via a so-called boundary effective action, we first offer a pedagogical review of the reformulation of the problem in terms of a stretched horizon effective field theory. Doing so allows us to specify what is strictly observable, and relate so-called reflection coefficients directly to the scales associated with various boundary operators. This allows us to quantify the deformation of GR required near the horizon to produce such echoes (and whether one finds this plausible). We also find an unavoidable feature: an induced mode dependence for the reflection coefficients that traces to the non-locality of the boundary action generated under RG flow. In order to demystify the physics of non-local boundary effective actions, we show that the same thing happens in electrostatics (!) which also allows us to distill features specific to horizons. We conclude with a discussion of how our findings can inform future searches, and how a putative no-go theorem for the black hole echoes is evaded. N.B. The work presented in this talk was done in collaboration with a number of master's students at Leiden, and a number of interesting topics for master's research projects will be summarized at the end of this talk.

13/02/2026, Cosmology and Supernovae through Cosmic Lenses (Sherry Suyu, TUM)

11:00, 13/02/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: Strongly lensed supernovae (SNe) are emerging as a new probe of cosmology and SNe. When a SN is strongly lensed by a foreground galaxy, multiple images of the SN will appear around the foreground galaxy at different times. Current and upcoming surveys including Euclid and the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time will capture hundreds of strongly lensed SNe, expanding the existing sample by two orders of magnitude. These events offer excellent opportunities to: (1) measure the Hubble constant via lensing time delays, shedding light on the Hubble tension, and (2) obtain unprecedented constraints on SN progenitors through early-phase spectra. I will give an overview of the first discoveries of lensed SNe and their cosmological implications.

17/04/2026, TBD (Miguel Pérez Torres, IAA)

11:00, 17/04/2026 - Sala de Claustros
Abstract: TBC

Outreach Events

Everyone at the Cosmology group at IFCA is very committed to outreach and share our work and research with every audience. Here you can see the activities organized by and participated directly by our members.

We also participate in the activities organized by IFCA. The IFCA outreach unit is very active, organizing several activities like:

• Talks at Ateneo Santander: Rigurously but accessible, there are public talks every year about different now relevant topics from a scientific perspective.
• Scientific Coffee: We bring science to general public in an informal setting over coffee in el Café de las Artes.
• Expanding Science: Outreach talks in schools and highschools in Cantabria covering the topics that scientists at IFCA work in.
• Open doors: This event aims to bring our work closer to primary and secondary school students, who visit our facilities and learn about our research.
• Science week: Outreach activity simultaneous with many other scientific and teaching institutions. At IFCA, we organize visits for students and astronomical observations.
• European Night of Researchers: IFCA and the University of Cantabria participate in this European event.
• Master classes of particle physics and astrophysics
• Special outreach events around February 11th, the international day of women in science.

Other activities and news at IFCA are advertised in the social media of IFCA.

Conferences

Recent and upcoming conferences and workshops organized by members of the cosmology group.

• V ARRAKIHS Consortium Meeting

  18-20 May 2026, Santander: Conference Webpage TBD

• New Frontiers in Cosmology

  10-14 August 2026, A Coruña: Conference Webpage

Click here to see a list of past conferences and workshops organized by members of the group

XI Meeting on Fundamental Cosmology

18-20 November 2025, Santander Conference webpage

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