From Dust till Dawn

Metals and dust — the products of stellar evolution — are key ingredients in the life cycle of galaxies. They regulate star formation, shape the interstellar medium, and encode the history of baryon cycling from the earliest galaxies to the present day.

This workshop will bring together theorists and observers to trace the evolution of dust and metals from cosmic dawn to cosmic noon and beyond.
With the Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers are now uncovering the most distant galaxies known — seen when the Universe was less than 300 million years old. Surprisingly, even these earliest systems already show enrichment in elements heavier than helium, produced by stars in the final stages of their lives.

The goal of this workshop is to connect the chemical fossil records of nearby galaxies with the latest observations of galaxies in the early Universe.

The program will feature review talks, focused discussions, and breakout sessions — with an emphasis on collaboration and early-career participation — to outline the next steps for both simulations and upcoming observing campaigns.