Register
Testing Gravity 2027
27-30 January 2027, SFU Harbour Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Home
Program
Travel Info
Local Info
Subscribe for Updates
Testing Gravity 2027 will be the 6th Testing Gravity conference hosted by Simon Fraser University. Held at the SFU Harbour Centre January 27 - 30, 2027, it will bring together leading experts on various ways of testing laws of gravity. Testing Gravity remains a topical theme because of the unexplained nature of dark matter and dark energy and the long-standing failure to reconcile gravity with quantum physics. Like the previous meetings, TG2027 will feature latest updates from gravitational wave and astrophysical observatories, lab-based experiments, as well as discussions of recent theoretical advances. The conference aims to provide theorists working on extensions of General Relativity with a realistic perspective on what aspects of their theories can be tested. On the other hand, the experimentalists and observers will get a chance to learn about new ideas that their experiments can test.Wednesday, January 27th, will feature a "school" with five review lectures given by some of the invited speakers providing background into the key topics covered by the conference. The main conference, January 28 - 30, will include invited and contributed talks, and a poster session.
Topics on Agenda:gravitational wavesastrophysical tests, pulsars, black holesterrestrial laboratory tests, gravity on short distancescosmological probes: CMB, 21 cm, redshift surveys, weak lensingparticle cosmology, dark mattermodified gravity theoriesquantum gravity and emergent gravity
Wednesday School Lectures:
- introduction to general relativity by Jeremy Heyl
- alternative gravity theories by Kazuya Koyama
- gravitational waves and their sources by Luis Lehner
- cosmological tests of gravity by Bhuvnesh Jain
Special Issue:
Conference Program:
Conference Organizers:Andrei Frolov (SFU)Justin Khoury (UPenn)Meng-Xiang Lin (SFU)David McKeen (TRIUMF)Lia Medeiros (Princeton)Levon Pogosian (SFU)Michael Ross (Washington)Douglas Scott (UBC)Alessandra Silvestri (Leiden)contact organizing committeeCode of Conduct:code of conduct
Invited Speakers:Masha Baryakhtar (Washington) *Cliff Burgess (McMaster/Perimeter)Luigi Cacciapuoti (ESA)Chi-Kwan Chan (Arizona)Katerina Chatziioannou (CalTech)Cecilia Chirenti (Maryland)Neil Cornish (Montana State)Steve Giddings (UCSB) *Lam Hui (Columbia) *Bhuv Jain (UPenn) *Martin Kunz (Geneva)Marilena Loverde (Washington)Holger Mueller (Berkeley)Tjerk Oosterkamp (Leiden)Maulik Parikh (ASU)Alkistis Pourtsidou (Edinburgh)Misao Sasaki (APCTP)Mark Trodden (UPenn)Cumrun Vafa (Harvard)Silke Weinfurtner (Nottingham) *Martin White (Berkeley)Gong-Bo Zhao (NAOC)* denotes tentative
Registered Participants:
The registration fee is 400 CAD for regular and 200 CAD for student participants if paid prior to November 30th, 2026. After that, the fees increase at 500 and 300 CAD respectively. Banquet tickets are 90 CAD per person.The additional fee for attendance of the pre-conference school is 25 CAD. The school will feature five lectures by some of the invited conference speakers. Lectures will cover an introduction to General Relativity (GR), binary systems and gravitational waves, neutron stars and astrophysical tests of GR, review of alternative gravity theories, and cosmological tests of GR.
Registration closes January 22th, 2027. Cancellations are subject to 10% penalty, with no refunds after January 22th, 2027. Payment of registration fees is processed online by SFU Meeting, Event and Conference Services. All credit card transactions will be processed in Canadian dollars and are subject to current exchange rates and 5% GST.
Add to Calendar
Fees increase
November 30th,
2026
Register Now
Conference Venue:The meeting will take place in the SFU Harbour Centre, located near the waterfront in the downtown Vancouver core. It is easily accessible from the airport and is surrounded by a vibrant neighbourhood.
Accommodations:Delta Vancouver Suites:550 West Hastings St. (across the street, 279 CAD/night+17.5% tax)
Book using
this weblink no later than December 12th, 2026. Alternatively, you can call Marriott Reservations at +1(844)254-5048 and provide the code "Testing Gravity" to get the above rate.
Sandman Hotel Vancouver:180 West Georgia St. (10 mins walk, 145 CAD/night+17.5% tax)
Book using this weblink no later than January 12th, 2027, to get the special rate. If booking via the generic hotel website or by phone, provide the code "Testing Gravity Conference 2027", or block ID 656437.
For your travel plans reference, the pre-conference school will start at 9 am on Wednesday, January 27th. The conference will start at 9 am on Thursday, January 28th and end on Saturday, January 30th. Conference dinner is planned for the evening of Friday, January 29th. Arriving the evening before the meeting starts is probably the best way to schedule your travel, and you can stay a few extra days for a weekend in the city or on ski slopes. Further informaton about local attractions is posted on local info page.
Getting to Vancouver:Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is well connected to major airports in Asia and Europe and cities throughout Canada and USA. Deals can often be found on holiday airlines, such as Air Transat and Thomas Cook from Europe, or ZipAir from Japan. The best option for getting from YVR to the city is via Sky Train.Alternative Airports:Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre (CXH) is a seaplane terminal located within a 10 min walk from SFU Harbour Centre. An exciting option for people arriving from the University of Victoria, assuming the weather collaborates.Bellingham International Airport (BLI), across the US border, is about 85 km (53 miles) away from downtown Vancouver. Flying to BLI can be an inexpensive option if travelling from cities on the west coast of the US.Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is 250 km (153 miles) away from downtown Vancouver. Flying to SEA can be a more economical option, even after taking the cost of the rental car into account.By Car:If you are coming from US by car, border crossing times depend on the time of the day. 10-20 mins wait is normal during non-peak times, but can easily be an hour if you happen to venture at the wrong time. You can get an idea about the crossing time statistics on various websites.By Ferry:BC Ferries runs several regular ferry lines connecting Vancouver Island to the Mainland. The closest terminal to downtown Vancouver is Tsawwassen. Although Horseshoe Bay terminal is not much further away, it is located on the North Shore. Connection over Lions Gate Bridge could be problematic during rush hour.
download printed directions or visit interactive map
>
Places to Eat:SteamworksBonchazLa TaqueriaNubaHydra EstiatorioEbisu on RobsonBanana LeafShizen YaCafe CrepeThe NaamThings to Do:Harbour Centre TowerThe SeawallStanley ParkGranville IslandVancouver AquariumUBC Museum of AnthropologyFly Over CanadaCapilano Suspension BridgeGrouse Mountain GondolaVisit WhistlerGetting Around:Transit App for mobile devicesTransLink Vancouver websiteDownhill Skiing:Cypress MountainGrouse MountainMount SeymourWhistler BlackcombMt Baker Ski AreaX-Country Skiing:Cypress MountainCallaghan CountryBackcountry Skiing:check current avalanche conditions!
...
All participants, including attendees and organizers, will treat each other with respect and conduct themselves in a professional manner that is welcoming to everyone and free from any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
While scientific debate is encouraged, discriminatory, harassing, or bullying behaviour or action of any kind will not be tolerated, and will result in immediate removal from this conference. This includes but is not limited to any form of sexual harassment, intimidation, threatening behaviour, sustained disruption, use of offensive or demeaning language including inappropriate jokes, unwanted photography, making statements based on individual characteristics such as age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, nationality, political affiliation, ability status, educational background, or any other characteristic protected by law in British Columbia or Canada.
If you believe that you have been subject to or have witnessed behaviour that violates this code of conduct, please report it immediately to any of the conference organizers.