Events
Weekly Coffee Hour (Wednesday 4:30PM in the ISAC-II breakroom)
Monthly Pub Night (Usually held on a Thursday once a month, 5 PM at Biercraft)
We also have a quick messaging service just for GAPS called Mattermost! Come join the GAPS Social Town Square discussion.
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Peter Winter, Argonne
Thu, Mar 12, 2026, 14:00
Auditorium/Remote
Abstract
The muon — a heavier cousin of the electron — plays a unique role in particle physics, offering powerful ways to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Over the past few decades, precision measurements involving muons have deepened our understanding of fundamental particle interactions. One of the most prominent efforts is the Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab, which was designed to measure the muon's magnetic anomaly,?aµ = (gµ?–?2)/2, with an unprecedented precision of 140 parts per billion—four times more precise than the earlier measurement at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The new experiment was motivated since the BNL result had revealed a tantalizing discrepancy of about 3.5 standard deviations from the Standard Model prediction. The Muon g-2 collaboration has recently completed its full data analysis, achieving a final precision of 127 parts per billion. This new result sets the most stringent benchmark to date for testing extensions to the Standard Model. In this colloquium, I will give a broad overview of the muon’s role in particle physics, followed by a focused discussion of the Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment and its implications.
Remote Connection: https://ubc.zoom.us/j/69003361760pwd=y6cVBqVjmmoDkgkKaBYFaLYb9iDTHg.1
Meeting ID: 690 0336 1760 Passcode: 596192
Hi GAPS members!
A quick reminder that GAPS hosts a 30-minute chat with the colloquium speaker after each Thursday TRIUMF colloquium. These take place in the MOB Cafeteria, starting directly after the colloquium. This is a great opportunity for informal chats with the speaker, related to their presentation or anything else you wish to discuss!
See you there!
-Your GAPS
gaps.triumf.ca
Hi GAPS Community (all grads and postdocs 😊),
GAPS will be having its elections on Friday, March 13 in the MOB Auditorium and Online, from 12 - 1pm. The elections will be paired with a brief GAPS General Meeting and Q&A, where the current committee will update on GAPS initiatives. Free lunch and refreshments will be provided to everyone who signs up.
The following are the elected positions, for which you can self-nominate, or nominate someone else:
Chair - ( interested GAPS members must have been part of the GAPS Committee for at least 6 months)
Vice-Chair Advocacy
Vice-Chair HR
Vice-Chair Social
Vice-Chair Professional Development
Treasurer
And the Appointed Positions are:
Secretary
Website Maintainer
Cookie Monster
Coffee Warden
Social Media Manager
For more information about any of these positions, please reach out to a GAPS Committee member, and/or attend our meeting this Friday!
We hope to see everyone at the General Meeting, as well as new interested members at upcoming committee meetings 😊. Please reach out if you have any questions.
-GAPS Committee
Hi GAPSers!
Craft Night is back to usher in the spring! Join us at 4Cats UBC on Wednesday, March 18th and 5:30pm to craft your very own Bunny Pal!! (Cute picture attached)
This event is being entirely subsidized by GAPS aka you get to do pottery for FREE! Plus 1’s are welcome but are required to pay the full 25$ cost for the event. Please RSVP to the sign-up email, deadline MARCH 13th, and contact Aveen Mahon for payment of fee for any non-GAPS members.
Let’s hop into springtime together!
See you there!
-Your GAPS
Ian Bentley, Florida Polytechnic University
Thu, Mar 19, 2026, 14:00
Auditorium / Zoom
Abstract
Nuclear binding energies provide an excellent testing ground for developing machine learning regression models. The moderately sized data set of about 2500 accurately measured values and the well studied behavior allow for training and test sets to be set up and appropriate physical features to be utilized. Neural networks, kernel-based approaches, such as support vector machines, and gaussian process regression, and even ensembled tree-based approaches have seemingly matched and potentially surpassed the accuracy of prior models. This talk will discuss observed behavior among these approaches when used to model binding energy residuals. A composite model which predicts the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 for N>7, and Z>7 with a standard deviation of less 100 keV will also be discussed.
Zoom: https://uvic.zoom.us/j/83875570623?pwd=kQKlwDCfScrIu0J5TunWqnho0jNRg8.1
Meeting ID: 838 7557 0623 Password: TRColloq
Hi GAPS members!
A quick reminder that GAPS hosts a 30-minute chat with the colloquium speaker after each Thursday TRIUMF colloquium. These take place in the MOB Cafeteria, starting directly after the colloquium. This is a great opportunity for informal chats with the speaker, related to their presentation or anything else you wish to discuss!
See you there!
-Your GAPS
gaps.triumf.ca
Illustration by Mariah Llanes
Hello GAPS Community!
Join us for a lively night of board games to de-stress, share a laugh, and test your strategic skills. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just looking to have some fun, there’s a game here for everyone.
Bring Your Own Games! Feel free to bring any personal favourites to share with the group.
Location: MOB auditorium at TRIUMF
Snacks & Refreshments will be provided :D
Your GAPS!
Kitsilano community centre runs an adult-only public skate on Fridays from 8:45 - 10pm. GAPS will be going on Friday, February 27 (today) ! It costs about $8 + tax, and they also provide skate rentals for $4 if you don’t have your own skates. However, GAPS will cover these costs for the members if you have signed up for the event already! .
Please meet at the rink by 9pm so that GAPS can pay for you when you arrive. You can find out more information about the rink here: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/kitsilano-rink.aspx.
Everyone from beginners to advanced skaters are welcome. Bring friends/partners and let’s end off the winter in proper Canadian style! ⛸️🧊
Have a great weekend!
GAPS Committee
Hi GAPS members!
A quick reminder that GAPS hosts a 30-minute chat with the colloquium speaker after each Thursday TRIUMF colloquium. These take place in the MOB Cafeteria, starting directly after the colloquium. This is a great opportunity for informal chats with the speaker, related to their presentation or anything else you wish to discuss!
See you there!
-Your GAPS
gaps.triumf.ca
Ulf-G. Meissner, University of Bonn, FZ Juelich
Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 14:00
Auditorium/Remote
Abstract
Element generation in the Big Bang and in stars is a fine laboratory to test possible variations of the fundamental constants of the Standard Model. In this talk, I review the constraints from primordial nucleosynthsesis on the electromagnetic fine-structure constant aEM, the light quark masses mu, md, ms and the CP-violating ?-parameter, with an emphasis on a thorough analysis of the systematic errors for the physical values of these parameters. Second, I discuss fine-tunings in the basic reactions generating the life-enabling elements carbon and oxygen via the triple-alpha process and the radiative alpha-capture on carbon, the so-called holy grail of nuclear astrophysics. Finally, I also make contact to the anthropic principle.
Remote Connection: https://ubc.zoom.us/j/68099892709pwd=RXafbpqP79cfh4atRzauRlUIVDQYhH.1
Meeting ID: 680 9989 2709 Passcode: 146064
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Hi GAPS friends,
Join a team of elite Crime Scene investigators to solve the murder of local meat market owner Ralph Gibson. Brace yourself, as this may be the most chilling crime scene of your career.
Location: EXIT on West Broadway, 309 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1P8
Date: 20 February 2026
Arrival time: 18:50
End time: 19:55
Let's bring this criminal to justice!
Your GAPS
Hi GAPS members!
A quick reminder that GAPS hosts a 30-minute chat with the colloquium speaker after each Thursday TRIUMF colloquium. These take place in the MOB Cafeteria, starting directly after the colloquium. This is a great opportunity for informal chats with the speaker, related to their presentation or anything else you wish to discuss!
See you there!
-Your GAPS
gaps.triumf.ca
Topic: Searching for long-lived heavy neutrinos and building new detectors at the LHC
Dominique Trischuk, U Victoria
Thu, Feb 19, 2026, 14:00
Auditorium/Remote
Abstract
High-energy proton collisions can be used to study heavy particles that decay very quickly, like the Higgs boson. But long-lived particles – which travel more than a few millimeters before they decay – could be key in explaining big questions we have about our Universe. In this colloquium, I will present a case study using novel experimental approaches to hunt for long-lived heavy neutrinos using data collected by the ATLAS experiment. This talk will also discuss the landscape of heavy neutrino searches at the Large Hadron Collider and the pivotal role that designing and constructing new detectors will play in boosting searches for new physics at the energy frontier.
Remote Connection: https://ubc.zoom.us/j/69360630892pwd=FEHgaPwdGHXEPK9WtvJ6dvsxkUM7Pm.1
Meeting ID: 693 6063 0892
Passcode: 823798
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Illustration by Mariah Llanes
Hello GAPS Community!
Join us for a lively night of board games to de-stress, share a laugh, and test your strategic skills. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just looking to have some fun, there’s a game here for everyone.
Bring Your Own Games! Feel free to bring any personal favourites to share with the group.
Location: MOB auditorium at TRIUMF
Snacks & Refreshments will be provided :D
Your GAPS!
Mark your calendars — our next Pub Night is just around the corner!🍻🥂🍷
📅 Date: Friday, November 7th
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Koerner’s Pub
Join us for another fantastic evening of lively conversation, good company, and delicious snacks.
Yours
GAPS
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Hi GAPS members,
If you want to experience Guillermo del Toro’s interpretation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein then you must join us at the VIFF centre on Saturday, November 1st at 3:30 pm!
Your GAPS.
PS Halloween costumes are welcome!
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Hi GAPS-ers,
Calling all photography enthusiasts! We’re excited to announce a photography workshop led by Marta Bergamo, who you may know from the TRIUMF photo walks.
This will be a general introduction — so feel free to bring any camera you like. A smartphone works perfectly fine!
The workshop will include:
- A 20–30 min introduction to photography presentation
- A ~45 min photo walk around the site
- A short discussion session to wrap up
And yes — snacks will be provided.
When: Thursday, Oct. 9th, 5pm
Where: MOB Auditorium
Let's get creative,
- your GAPS
This social hour will be either at the volleyball court or in the ISAC II lunchroom, weather depending.
Hi, GAPS community,
Our next Pub Night for the year 2025 is just around the corner 🍻🥂🍷
This time together with our fellas from UBC Physics & Astronomy.
Date: next Friday, 3rd of October
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Koerner's Pub https://maps.app.goo.gl/3MVKWrrD5tdjjont8
It will be another fantastic evening filled with lively conversation and delicious snacks.
We can't wait to catch up with everyone, see you all there! 💫✨
Cheers,
-Your GAPS
Illustration by Mariah Llanes
Hello GAPS Community!
Now that GAPS beach season has officially concluded, it's time to break out the board games again! Join us for a lively night of board games to de-stress, share a laugh, and test your strategic skills. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just looking to have some fun, there’s a game here for everyone.
Bring Your Own Games! Feel free to bring any personal favourites to share with the group.
Location: MOB auditorium at TRIUMF
Date and time: from 6.00 pm -9.00 pm on the 25th of September 2025
Snacks & Refreshments will be provided :D
Your GAPS!
