Scientific Programme
Scientific Rationale:
Recent evidence indicates that most stars formed before the Universe
had reached half its current age; thus old stellar populations are the
norm today. What is less certain is when these stars assembled into
the galaxies we see today. Two observational approaches to studying
the formation history of galaxies are: galactic archaeology of old stellar
populations in the nearby universe and direct investigation of galaxy
evolution with look-back time (near and far-field cosmology).
This conference proposes to bring together the communities
associated with these two complementary approaches. In
addition, the Symposium will have a strong focus on theory to
provide an overall understanding of the complex processes
associated with galaxy formation and evolution.
Key issues include: explaining the bimodality of galaxy populations, the
physical processes that suppress star formation suppression in different
environments, downsizing, the build up of stellar mass with time, the role
of feedback and gas processes in star/galaxy formation, the epoch and role
of reionisation in the Universe.
The conference will be timely to review the recent results of
large galaxy surveys from HST, Galex and Spitzer telescopes to the first
results from new instruments
on existing telescopes (eg AAOMEGA, SCUBA2).
The conference will lay the ground-work for future surveys using
telescopes such as JWST and LSST.
Major topics:
1) Stellar Population Models
2) Globular Clusters and Dwarf Galaxies
3) Galactic Archaeology
4) Gas and Feedback Processes
5) Environmental trends
6) Galaxy Formation Models
7) Galaxy Evolution with look-back time
8) Reionisation and the first objects
Talk Schedule:
Here is a
Talk schedule.
Here is a
Talk abstract list (draft).
