August 17, 2026 – August 21, 2026
at the University of Cologne
save the date – more information will follow soon.
We are excited to announce a conference that will bring together the world’s top researchers in the field of massive star formation and evolution, with a focus on the latest advances in simulations and observations. This meeting will provide a unique opportunity to explore the latest discoveries and advancements in our understanding of the habitats of massive stars across cosmic time.
Massive stars shape the evolution of galaxies through their intense radiation, feedback and ultimate deaths, yet their habitats and impact vary widely across cosmic time. Understanding the life cycle of baryonic matter, the chemical enrichment of the Universe and the regulation of star formation requires two major steps: first, bridging the large dynamic range in scale from sub-parsec dense clumps where stars are born up to hundreds of kiloparsecs in the circumgalactic medium that is affected by their feedback, and second, comparing environments that range from quiescent, nearby spiral galaxies to turbulent, high-redshift starbusts. This symposium aims to unite experts in observations, theory, simulations, laboratory astrophysics and instrumentation to identify the key physical and chemical processes governing the formation and impact of massive stars in their diverse cosmic habitats. The main questions to be addressed will focus on how universal the massive star formation process is across these diverse environments, how efficient stellar feedback is in dispersing different media, and whether the processes and structures observed locally are universal across the Universe.
Conference Highlights:
- Plenary talks by leading experts in the field
- Contributed talks and posters by early-career researchers
- Science Slam
- Interactive discussions and debates on the latest research findings
- Opportunities for networking and collaboration with colleagues from around the world
Local Organising Committee
- Emma Bordier
- Isabelle Breloy
- Petra Fackendahl
- Constantina Fotopoulou-Rathjen
- Ying-Chi Hu
- Huyen Nguyen
- Volker Ossenkopf-Okada
- Tatiana Rodriguez
- Daniel Seifried
- Robert Simon
- Sven Thorwirth
- Stefanie Walch-Gassner
Scientific Organising Committee
- Frank Bigiel (University Bonn)
- Pierre Cox (Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris)
- Arshia Jacob (University of Cologne)
- René Oudmaijer (University of Leeds)
- Elena Redaelli (ESO)
- Anna Rosen (University of California)
- Marta Sewilo (Goddard Space Flight Center)
- Stefanie Walch-Gassner (University of Cologne)
