GWFP Seminar - How to build a gravitational-wave detector

Tuesday 17 Mar 2026, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Amsterdam

Speaker: Dr. Sebastian Steinlechner

About the speaker: I'm an associate professor (UHD) in the Department of Gravitational Waves and Fundamental Physics. My research focusses on interferometry for gravitational-wave detectors, from optical simulations and layouts to quantum measurement techniques. I am a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration since 2009, a member of the Virgo Collaboration since 2019 and a member of the ET Collaboration since its inception in 2022.

Currently, I hold the following positions:

• Subsystem manager for optical simulation and design (OSD) at Virgo
• Optics work-package leader for ETpathfinder
• Modelling & Design Tools workpackage co-chair for the ET Collaboration
• Ombudsperson for the ET collaboration
• Member of the NWO Physics for Technology and Instrumentation panel

How to build a gravitationa-wave detector.

Sebastian will introduce the basic principle of measuring gravitational waves with laser interferometry: how does it work, why is it challenging, and what are the group members at Maastricht working on?

HowToDetectGWs(1).pptx