We will have 10 excellent speakers from all areas of astrophysics, and one bonus talk on dinosaurs. 🙂

Astronomy Speakers

Speaker	Institution	Topic
Andrea Antoni	Flatiron Institute	Massive stars and black holes
Will Best	University of Texas at Austin	Observational star formation
Mélisse Bonfand-Caldeira	University of Virginia	Chemistry in star-forming regions
Hannah Fronenberg	University of Chicago	Line-intensity mapping, the CMB, and the 21cm line
Emily Griffith	University of Colorado Boulder	Chemical evolution of the Milky Way
Taylor Hutchison	NASA Goddard	High redshift galaxies
Gourav Khullar	University of Washington	Galaxy formation and observations
Francisco Mercado	Pomona College	Environments of low mass galaxies
Logan Pearce	University of Michigan	Exoplanet direct imaging
Lily Zhao	University of Chicago	Exoplanet radial velocities

Astronomy Abstracts

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The core-collapse death of a massive star leaves behind a neutron star or black hole. While black holes have been inferred in accreting X-ray binaries and in the gravitational wave signatures of binary mergers, observations of black holes in non-interacting binaries are novel and rare. An understanding of the observational signatures of black hole birth is key to probing the unseen population of black holes in the Universe and to mapping black hole properties to the properties of the massive stars that produce them. In this talk, I will briefly review the outcomes of massive stellar evolution and core collapse. Then, I will discuss the birth of black holes in otherwise failed supernovae of red and yellow supergiant stars. I will show that these events result in low-energy explosions of the star that power luminous transients lasting tens to several hundreds of days. Finally, I will discuss the failed supernova candidates in M31 and N6946.

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As the lowest-mass objects created by star formation processes, brown dwarfs are essential to a complete understanding of star formation in our galaxy. Leading models of the Initial Mass Function (IMF) differ most dramatically at the extreme low-mass tail, making brown dwarfs and free-floating planets the most sensitive test population for identifying the IMF’s shape and possible variations. However, the low-mass IMF has been poorly understood due to meager samples of these faint objects in the Solar neighborhood and in the nearby, relatively small star-forming regions. JWST is now allowing us to observe brown dwarfs down to planetary masses in large, distant star-forming complexes, and down to the very bottom of the IMF in closer star-forming regions. I will review the challenges of observing cool, red objects in dusty star-forming environments and discuss how recent results from our backyard to across the galaxy are finally beginning to resolve long-standing questions about the low-mass extremes of star formation.

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Star-forming regions are among the richest chemical environments in the universe, where atoms and simple molecules evolve into complex organic species under the influence of various physical processes. From cold pre-stellar cores to the birth of protostars and their surrounding disks, chemistry traces the evolution of matter and plays a key role in setting the initial conditions for planet formation. In this talk, I will review our current understanding of interstellar chemistry across different types of star-forming regions and stages of evolution. I will highlight recent insights from observational surveys and astrochemical modeling, focusing on key molecular tracers of physical history, the interplay between gas-phase and grain-surface processes, and the potential prebiotic relevance of complex organics. By bridging models with multi-wavelength observations, we are beginning to uncover the origin of chemical diversity among star-forming regions and its implications for the molecular inventory of nascent planetary systems.

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Obtaining a complete and uninterrupted view of our universe from its earliest moments to the present day requires a diverse set of observational tools, each sensitive to different epochs and physical processes. In this talk, I will present a panoramic overview of modern cosmology through the lens of three powerful probes: the cosmic microwave background (CMB), line intensity mapping (LIM), and 21cm cosmology. The CMB primary anisotropies offer a snapshot of the Universe at recombination, while LIM and 21cm surveys provide us with a detailed view of the rest of our cosmic timeline including the era of Cosmic Dawn, the Epoch of Reionization, and the current dark energy dominated Universe. Together, these observations allow us to construct a detailed cosmic timeline with remarkable temporal resolution, capturing transitions across key cosmic epochs. I will provide a theoretical overview as well as a status update on current and upcoming surveys. I will discuss the scientific opportunities ahead enabled by this multi-probe approach, highlight recent advances in analysis and experimental techniques, and outline the major theoretical and observational challenges that lie ahead.

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Our understanding of the origin of the elements is grounded in observational measurements and theoretical models of stellar explosions. The current era of big data from surveys such as Milky Way Mapper and GALAH has allowed us to study an unprecedented number of stars across the Galactic disk and halo. In this talk I will provide an overview of the power of spectroscopic surveys in decoding our Galactic chemical evolution, and the need for very high-resolution spectra to detangle the finer details of our enrichment history. I will discuss a multi-process model for stellar abundances, the importance of comparing empirical and theoretical nucleosynthetic yields, and highlight how we can use the Milky Way to learn fundamental properties of core-collapse supernovae, type-Ia supernovae, and AGB stars.

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The history of galaxies in the early Universe remains substantially unknown. Identifying and characterizing the nascent systems responsible for re-ionizing the neutral gas they are embedded within has led to surprising, and at times controversial, claims on how the galaxies of today got their start. Using the largest telescopes on the planet (and in space), we have been piecing together a tantalizing picture of a chaotic early Universe filled with young galaxies rapidly growing and evolving and pouring intense ionization radiation into the surrounding intergalactic medium, with the launch of JWST only deepening the mystery. From claims of over-abundance of z>9 galaxies to discoveries of early galaxies with stellar masses that strain our best theoretical models to even the ubiquitous presence of small accreting supermassive black holes in otherwise “ordinary” galaxies — the field of high-redshift galaxies is at a critical juncture. In this talk, I will review what we as a field have discovered of galaxies in the early Universe, with key emphasis on the nebular physics uncovered via spectroscopy from facilities such as Keck & JWST.

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In this talk, I will lay out the story of how we think galaxies quench star formation across cosmic time, and how this narrative has been built in the last two decades. I will use JWST’s groundbreaking observations as a platform to discuss the discovery and characterization of massive quiescent galaxies in the first two billion years of the Universe, which were previously unknown. I will also explore various channels of mass assembly that lead to the diversity we see in quenched systems, including napping/post-starburst galaxies at high redshifts. I will then conclude with a look towards the future, and how spatially resolved observations with gravitational lensing are key to our understanding of the cessation of star formation.  

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The smallest galaxies in the universe offer some of the strongest constraints on galaxy formation physics, yet they are also the most sensitive to both internal processes and external influences. In this talk, I will explore the question of “nature vs. nurture” in the evolution of low-mass galaxies, drawing on insights from both zoom-in and large-volume cosmological simulations. I will highlight how internal processes (e.g. stellar feedback, dark matter structure, and chemical enrichment) interact with external factors like environment, satellite infall, and CGM conditions to shape observables including metallicity, star formation activity, and structural scaling relations. I will also compare theoretical predictions to emerging constraints from surveys like SAGA and ELVES, which provide new empirical insight into the satellite populations of Milky Way analogs. Along the way, I will discuss open questions and areas of tension between models and observations, and suggest how future observations and simulations might better disentangle the roles of internal and external physics. Ultimately, low-mass galaxies offer a unique window into the interplay between feedback, environment, and dark matter, providing critical tests for galaxy formation and evolution models.

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Exoplanet detection and characterization is poised at a new frontier opened up by new and upcoming technologies and instruments enabling direct detection of older, colder, and smaller exoplanets than ever before. Direct imaging and spectroscopy enables direct atmosphere characterization, tests of formation and migration, debris disks and planet-disk interaction, and potential detection of biosignatures. In this talk I will review how high-contrast imaging is accomplished, current significant and exciting results, and the new frontiers opened up by upcoming ground- and space-based platforms.

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Extreme precision radial velocity (EPRV) measurements, capable of capturing signals with an amplitude of just 10-30 cm/s, are needed to needed to uncover low-mass planets, inform planet formation scenarios, and reveal atmospheric composition.  Achieving this level of precision spectroscopy requires innovation at all levels, from the instrumentation to the extraction software to the astrophysics guiding the final derived RV measurements.  I will give an overview of recent advances in the field of EPRV with a focus on data-driven algorithms.

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Dinosaurs

Have you ever wondered about dinosaur diets? If a person were transported back to the Mesozoic, what could they eat to survive? Join paleontologist Dr. Liam Norris for a dinner-table discussion as he shares the science of reconstructing prehistoric plates. From the history of dinosaur themed dining to the evidence we use to reconstruct dinosaur diet, this talk will cover diverse topics sure to whet your appetite.

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