Explore the Universe in Downtown Sudbury

SNOLAB is bringing big ideas into downtown Sudbury’s open-air theatre space this summer. The research facility is hosting public talks as part of the Beneath/Beyond summer public talk series that is part of the 2026 SNOLAB Underground Science Institute (SuSi) lecture program. These talks are taking place at the Refetorrio in Downtown Sudbury and feature SNOLAB researchers using plain language to discuss their work and are intended for the community.

The first talk in the series was held on June 15 and featured Research Group Manager, Dr. Stephen Sekula, and Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Christine Kraus, co-chairs of the SuSi program. Their talk discussed why traveling underground is useful for exploring the universe and was well-attended with active engagement from some of our young audience members! To promote the rest of the summer series, Sekula and Kraus spoke about the inspiration behind the public talks and the role they play in sharing SNOLAB science with the community.

“We always strive to have public programming during the SuSi lecture program, to ensure the public feels connected to the science that they help support through the federal and provincial governments,” explained Sekula. “We want these experiences to be engaging but also send a message that science is not standing apart from other things. Hosting these events at the Refettorio is meant to send a message that we are all able to get together and to share in a more intimate setting, one out in the open and part of the community.”

Sekula also shared that attendees can expect to learn something new, connect with experts, participate in meaningful discussions, and leave feeling like they are part of the science happening in the Sudbury area.

To continue the series, Dr. Szymon Manecki and Dr. Michel Lapointe will present on June 29 at 7 PM. Their talk will focus on how the unique underground environment at SNOLAB influences research in health and biology.

“All are welcome, though the level of subject material will be most accessible to [those] aged 12 and above. We encourage people to share these events with family, friends, and work groups to help spread the word about this series!” added Sekula.

A full list of upcoming talks is available below.

• June 29 at 7:00PM
• July 13 at 7:00PM
• July 27 at 7:00PM

About the SuSi lecture program

The SNOLAB Underground Science Institute (SuSi) is a graduate development program based at Canada’s deep underground research laboratory. The program brings together students studying fields such as neutrino and dark matter physics, chemistry, and biology. SuSi combines lectures and hands-on research opportunities at SNOLAB’s underground facility in Vale’s Creighton Mine. 

The lecture program features researchers from institutions like NOSM University, Laurentian University, University of Toronto, Queen’s University, and McGill University. Together, the lecture program and research experience provide students with both hands-on academic training in their field and opportunities to network with professionals.