(HS3, Cologne)

Intermediate-mass forming stars (Herbig stars, 1.5 to 15 solar-mass young stellar objects) were first characterized as a population by George Herbig in 1960. Today, they are of great importance for planet formation studies and for linking the low- and high-mass star formation regimes. Historically, the study of the general properties of Herbig stars has been limited by the lack of a well-defined sample. In addition, only a few sources were known, most of them discovered serendipitously. However, this has recently changed thanks to the homogeneous discovery of many new stars of the class. In this talk, I provide a brief review of the history of Herbig stars and describe our current knowledge of this population of stars and their protoplanetary disks, which host key observational features for understanding planet formation and the interaction of young stars with their environments. I present the recent results of Stapper et al. (2026), who surveyed all known Herbig stars within 1 kpc, and I describe ongoing efforts to understand the puzzling nature of the more massive Herbig stars (over 8 solar masses). Forming stars that massive are not expected to be optically visible, and thus their study opens a new window into massive star formation. (Cologne, Host Lucas Labadie)

Little is currently known about the large-scale environments of Green Pea (GP) and Blueberry (BB) galaxies, which are low-mass, compact systems with extreme specific star formation rates. Their environments are inherently linked to their formation mechanism, and they may serve as crucial local analogues for high-redshift, reionising galaxies. We aim to investigate the clustering properties of GPs and BBs, leveraging large-scale survey data to quantify their spatial distribution relative to the broader galaxy population.  We here investigate a sample of these galaxies, consisting of 339 GPs $\rm (0.1 < z \le 0.33)$ and 56 BBs $\rm (0 < z \le 0.1)$, whose clustering properties we analyse relative to an extensive control sample derived from the SDSS MPA-JHU DR8 catalogue, binned by stellar mass and sSFR. We use the number of neighbours within a 5 Mpc radius as a proxy for environmental density, i.e. clustering, and employ a pair-matching and bootstrapping methodology to ensure statistical robustness. We observe that galaxy clustering depends strongly on star formation activity, with passive galaxies being more clustered than their high star formation rate counterparts, with GPs and BBs lying at the extreme end of this relation, exhibiting the lowest neighbour counts among all subsamples. The nearest neighbours of BBs also tend to have lower masses than other classes of dwarf galaxies. GPs and BBs predominantly reside in isolated, low-density environments, suggesting that their intense starbursts are unlikely to be triggered by common environmental processes such as mergers or starburst cycles. Their low metallicities and weak clustering instead support scenarios in which recent starbursts are driven by internal processes or pristine gas accretion, reinforcing their role as nearby analogues of young, low-mass galaxies in the early Universe.

(Cologne, Host Lena Großekathöfer

Astronomy is a highly international and collaborative discipline, yet gender equity and inclusion remain important challenges across research institutions, scientific societies, and policy environments. Addressing these challenges requires not only understanding patterns of participation and career progression, but also identifying institutional practices and collective actions that can translate evidence into meaningful and sustainable change. This talk draws on the work of the IAU Women in Astronomy Working Group and the EAS EDI Working Group to examine the current landscape of gender equity and inclusion in astronomy. Drawing on community surveys, consultations, and international experience, it will highlight persistent challenges affecting participation, career progression, leadership, recognition, and retention, while considering the structural and cultural factors that shape these outcomes. The presentation will showcase practical initiatives developed through the IAU Women in Astronomy Working Group, including mentoring, networking, visibility, leadership development, and international collaboration. It will also highlight the STEM Ambassador Award as an example of recognizing and amplifying contributions to outreach, mentorship, advocacy, and positive community change. This talk will discuss how evidence can inform institutional policies and practices, strengthen gender equity, inclusive leadership, and support a shift from individual initiatives towards coordinated and measurable action. The broader aim is to identify opportunities for collective responsibility and collaboration in building a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable astronomical community.

(Cologne, Host Emma Bordier)

(Cologne)

(Cologne, Host Simon Dannhauer)

(Cologne)