From Superconductors to Black Holes, USU's Science Unwrapped Tackles Big Questions on Jan. 23

A duality is something consisting of two opposing ideas. Think day and night, up and down, and left and right. Utah State University physicists Abhay Katyal and Oscar Varela explore dualities in physics, in which two seemingly different phenomena are described by the same underlying physical principles.

Katyal and Varela will highlight this concept as they present “From Superconductors to Black Holes: Two Sides of the Same Coin” at USU’s Science Unwrapped public outreach program on Jan. 23. All ages are invited to the free gathering, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium, Room ESLC 130 on the Logan campus.

“Our January event is the kickoff for our Spring 2026 Celebrate Grad Student Research series,” says Brynja Kohler, Science Unwrapped chair, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, and professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We’re excited to have Abhay and Oscar help us understand critical ideas in physics as we spotlight work by our graduate students who are integral to Utah State University’s research and teaching success.”

Hands-on learning activities led by USU student groups and community volunteers, along with refreshments, follow the half-hour presentation. In addition, this spring’s series will feature research posters by USU graduate students.

Katyal, a doctoral candidate in USU’s Department of Physics, studies theoretical high energy physics alongside Varela, his faculty mentor. Katya completed undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned bachelor of science degrees in physics and mathematics. He serves as the Department of Physics graduate student representative for the university’s student association, as well as president of USU’s physics student group WaMiP, which stands for We All Matter in Physics. He is a longtime Science Unwrapped activities volunteer.

Varela, an associate professor in USU’s Department of Physics, earned a doctoral degree from Valencia University in Spain. His research focuses on the interface of theoretical particle physics and gravitation. Prior to joining USU, Varela held postdoctoral appointments at Imperial College London in the U.K., the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Germany and at Harvard University. He has received a number of prestigious research awards, including a Humboldt Fellowship from Germany and a Marie Curie Fellowship from the European Union.

Katyal and Varela’s presentation will be video-recorded and posted on the Science Unwrapped website, following the in-person event.

The Celebrate Grad Student Research series schedule is:

• Friday, Jan. 23: “From Superconductors to Black Holes,” USU physicists Abhay Katyal and Oscar Varela.
• Friday, Feb. 20: “Microplastic Taxis for Microbes,” USU environmental engineers Akib Al Mahir and Liyuan (Joanna) Hou.
• Friday, March 20: “Why Queen Bees Can Have It All,” USU biologist Karen Kapheim.
• Friday, April 10: “Earthquakes: Predicting the Unpredictable,” USU geoscientists Lindsey Broderick and Srisharan Shreedharan.

Directions and parking information are available on the program’s website.

For more information, call 435-797-3517 or visit the Science Unwrapped website.