DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM | Mapping New Physics with the Cosmic Microwave Background

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the afterglow of the big bang and the oldest light in the universe that can be observed.  Measurements of faint signals encoded in this radiation provide information about the physics that govern the very early universe and the growth of large scale structure.  Thus precision measurements of the CMB provide unique views on ultra high energy physics (inflation); pressing mysteries including dark energy and dark matter; and traditional particle physics questions such as the sum of the neutrino masses.  In this talk I present the state of the CMB field highlighting the ACTPol experiment and other projects my group has played key roles on.