Habib University has announced renowned physicist Dr Nergis Mavalvala as the tenth speaker in its prestigious Yohsin Lecture Series.
Dr Mavalvala, who serves as Dean of the School of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is known for her work in gravitational-wave detection and quantum measurement science.
She will deliver a lecture titled “The Joy of Discovery: Curiosity, Science, and the Pivotal Role of Universities” at Habib University on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Dr Nergis Mavalvala and the Discovery of Gravitational Waves
Dr Mavalvala is a longtime member of the LIGO collaboration, a scientific project that played a key role in the first direct detection of gravitational waves in September 2015.
Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in space and time produced by powerful cosmic events, including the collision of massive black holes.
The 2015 detection confirmed a prediction made by Albert Einstein roughly a century earlier and opened a new way of studying the universe.
The discovery was later recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics, highlighting the significance of gravitational-wave research in modern science.
From Karachi to MIT
Born in Lahore and raised in Karachi, Dr Mavalvala attended the Convent of Jesus and Mary before moving to the United States for higher education.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and later completed her doctorate at MIT.
Over the course of her academic career, she has held several prominent positions and received major recognition for her contributions to physics.
She is the first woman to lead MIT’s School of Science and serves as the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics.
Dr Mavalvala is also a MacArthur Fellow and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Lecture to Explore Curiosity and Discovery
The upcoming Yohsin Lecture will focus on the role of curiosity in scientific discovery and the importance of pursuing knowledge even when its practical applications are not immediately apparent.
In the lecture, Dr Mavalvala will draw on her own journey, from repairing bicycles as a child in Karachi to contributing to one of the most important discoveries in modern physics.
The lecture will explore how fundamental questions can eventually lead to discoveries and technologies whose practical significance may only become clear decades later.
Dr Mavalvala’s message will also examine the broader role of universities in society.
According to the lecture’s theme, universities have responsibilities that extend beyond preparing students for professional careers. They can also provide environments where curiosity, creativity, perseverance and intellectual freedom can flourish.
Habib University’s Yohsin Lecture Series
The Yohsin Lecture Series is Habib University’s flagship public lecture programme.
The series is based on the university’s founding philosophy of Yohsin, described as the thoughtful cultivation of the self.
Through the series, Habib University brings prominent thinkers and scholars to Pakistan for public discussions on major intellectual, scientific and social questions.
Previous speakers have included Noam Chomsky, Ashis Nandy, Reza Aslan, Azra Raza and Thomas Blom Hansen.
Dr Mavalvala’s appearance will mark the tenth edition of the lecture series.
Lecture to Highlight Role of Universities
The lecture is expected to provide an opportunity for students, academics and members of the public to engage with questions surrounding scientific discovery and higher education.
Dr Mavalvala’s career offers a direct example of how curiosity-driven research can eventually contribute to major advances in scientific understanding.
Her work with LIGO helped scientists detect gravitational waves and develop a new method of observing some of the universe’s most powerful events.
The upcoming lecture will connect that scientific journey with broader questions about why people pursue knowledge and how universities can encourage exploration beyond immediate practical objectives.
With Dr Mavalvala as its tenth Yohsin Lecture speaker, Habib University is continuing a lecture series that brings internationally recognized scholars and thinkers to Pakistan for public dialogue.
