Our understanding of the Universe is at a turning point with the predictions of the standard cosmological model and the observations from different surveys are showing tensions in several key areas. The disagreement is expressed in the value of cosmic expansion as well as in the growth of large-scale structure in the Universe. New cosmological surveys, many of which are European, may expose tension in additional areas of the concordance model. The question of cosmological tensions can be confronted in a number of ways. Firstly, survey data needs to be further analyzed for potential systematic uncertainties or biases. Secondly, there have been numerous advances in approaches to data analysis and statistics, some of which provide less dependence on cosmological models to make cosmological parameter estimates. Lastly, there are a plethora of new proposals from fundamental physics which range from novel neutrino physics to dark energy proposals (and others) which may contribute to a solution to the cosmological tensions problem. These represent the three research themes through which cosmological tensions will either be alleviated or resolved.
XVI Einstein Telescope Symposium, June 15-19 2026 in Aachen
The upcoming Symposium will take place in Aachen from June 15th at noon until June 19th early afternoon.
Hosted by the RWTH Aachen University, the event will be held at the central campus of the University in the heart of the city of Aachen.
Registrants can also participate in every session online via a two-way zoom connection. Zoom links for each session can be found as an attachment to the session in the Indico timetable.
Social events:
Early Career Researchers Meeting: Monday, 15.06.2026 Conference Dinner: Wednesday, 17.06.2026
Local Organizing Committee:
Markus Bachlechner, Charlotte Benning, Silke Christ, Ruth Jansen, Robert Joppe, Jan Kelleter, Stefan Krischer, Michael Kubocz, Tim Kuhlbusch, Niklas Nippe, Oliver Pooth, Achim Stahl
We look forward to welcoming all participants, both in person and online, for a productive and engaging meeting!
Supermassive Black Holes and Blue Notes, June 29 – Juli 3 2026 at Université de Montréal
Held a week before the world-renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival, the conference aims to spotlight the significant progress made in the study of supermassive black holes, addressing open questions and exploring future prospects, particularly in the wake of the latest observations from JWST.
Main themes
- Advanced Techniques for Measuring Supermassive Black Hole Properties
- Observations of Supermassive Black Holes at the Event Horizon Scale
- Feeding and Feedback Processes of Supermassive Black Holes
- High-Redshift Supermassive Black Hole Formation and Growth
Registration Info
Registration has not opened, but you can pre-register here, and we will keep you updated.
Organising Committees
Scientific Organising Committee (SOC):
Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo (UdeM)
Martin Bureau (Oxford)
Daryl Haggard (McGill)
Romeel Dave (Edinburgh)
Claude-Andre Faucher-Giguere (Northwestern)
Frank Eisenhauer (MPE)
Chiara Mingarelli (Yale)
Sara Issaoun (Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Roberto Maiolino (Cambridge/Kavli)
Priya Natarajan (Yale)
Local Organising Committee (LOC):
Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo (UdeM)
Martin Bureau (Oxford)
Daryl Haggard (McGill)
Marine Claude Anne Prunier (UdeM)
Olivia Pereira (UdeM)
Benjamin Vigneron (UdeM)
Hyunseop Choi (UdeM)
Hengyue Zhang (Oxford)
Anabel X. Li (UdeM)
From Black Holes to the Cosmos, August 24-28 at SISSA, Trieste
This conference honors the scientific legacy of Matt Visser, whose pioneering work has profoundly influenced our understanding of general relativity, quantum field theory in curved spacetime, wormholes, energy conditions, analogue gravity, and beyond. Gathering colleagues, collaborators, and students from around the world, the meeting will highlight recent developments at the interface of geometry, gravitation, and quantum theory, while celebrating Visser's distinctive contributions to these fields. The conference will be hosted in the Aula Magna of SISSA Miramare Campus.
Invited speakers (TBC):
Matt Visser
Carl Bender
Ivan Booth
Erik Curiel
Fay Dowker
Ted Jacobson
Eleni-Alexandra Kontou
Francisco Lobo
Robert Mann
Erik Poisson
Ralf Schützhold
Thomas Sotiriou
Bill Unruh
Cliff Will
David Wiltshire
4th LISA Sprint, May 11-13, 2026 in Bozeman, Montana
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a joint effort of ESA and NASA to develop and operate the first space-based observatory of gravitational waves (GWs) in the millihertz frequency band. To prepare for LISA observations and its unique data products, we are organizing the 4th LISA Sprint in Bozeman, Montana, from Monday May 11 to Wednesday May 13, 2026.
In past LISA Sprints the participants all pitched project ideas at the workshop, and teams selecting the projects they wanted to work on. This time will be a little different. While additional project pitches are still welcome, the focus will be on several pre-defined projects that have been identified as critical needs by the NASA Science Ground Segment team. Participants will be asked to list their preferences for which of the pre-define projects they would be most interested in contributing to in advance of the workshop.
This will be a hands-on workshop: there will be no talks–only brief project descriptions at the beginning of the workshop, and “show and tell” at the close of the meeting to share progress with the group.
In late January 2026 we will advertise the meeting website and application form for interested participants. Please note that space will be limited, so applying does not guarantee acceptance. Accepted applicants will be notified by the end of February. There is no financial support available to attend the meeting, nor is there any registration fee for participating.
16th International LISA Symposium, June 22-26, 2026, College Park, Maryland
The 16th International LISA Symposium will highlight gravitational wave astrophysics, with a primary focus on the most up-to-date theory and analysis that will inform science to be performed by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.
Details on remote participation, which will be limited, will be announced when registration opens in early 2026.
The symposium will be held at the University of Maryland’s Adele H. Stamp Student Union on June 22-26, 2026 in College Park, Maryland, USA.
Scientific Organizing Committee
- Shane Larson (Chair), Clarkson University
- Stanislav Babak, APC – Paris
- Richard Brito, Instituto Superior Técnico
- Maria José Bustamante Rosell, Fisk & Vanderbilt Universities
- Laurentiu Caramete, Institute of Space Science, Bucharest-Magurele
- Eleonora Castelli, University of Maryland, Baltimore County & NASA GSFC
- Maria Charisi, Washington State University & University of Crete
- Nelson Christensen, Observeratoire Cote d’Azur
- John Conklin, University of Florida
- Neil Cornish, Montana State University
- Daniel J. D’Orazio, Space Telescope Science Institute
- Deborah Ferguson, University of Rhode Island
- Alessia Franchini, Università degli Studi di Milano
- Daryl Haggard, McGill Unviersity, Trottier Space Instittue
- Zoltan Haiman, Institute of Science & Technology Austria
- Sarah Vigeland, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Stefano Vitale, Università di Trento
- Gudrun Wanner, AEI – Hannover
- David Weir, University of Helsinki
- Helvi Witek, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- William Joseph Weber, Università di Trento
Local Organizing Committee
Peter Shawhan, University of Maryland
Ann Hornschemeier Cardiff, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Ira Thorpe, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Elizabeth Ferrara, University of Maryland
First held in 1996, the International LISA Symposium is held every two years to celebrate and share infornation and science related to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, a three-arm space-based gravitational wave detector being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
History
A listing of prior LISA Symposia and links to their websites can be found here.
Gravity2026: New Frontiers in Cosmology, April 27 – May 1 2026 in Daejeon
GRAVITY2026: New Frontiers in Cosmology will be held on-site at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in Daejeon, Korea, from 27 April to 1 May, 2026. The aim of the workshop is to foster comprehensive and in-depth discussions on the rapidly expanding frontiers of gravitational physics. The program will cover a wide spectrum of topics central to cosmology, including gravitational waves, early- and late-time cosmology, and theories of modified gravity.
This workshop is mainly organized by the IBS Center CTPU-CGA and is held on-site at the Institute for Basic Science in Daejeon, Korea. There is no registration fee. f you wish to attend, please register by 29 March 2026, 23:59 KST. We will also accept a number of contributed talks: if you wish to give a contributed talk, please register for the workshop by the above date and submit a title and abstract by 5 Apeil 2026, 23:59 KST. The selection will be made by the organizing committee. Please note that we are not able to support VISA applications from non-invited speakers except in special cases.
For information about previous events, please see:
Gravity2022: Current challenges in black hole physics and cosmology
Gravity2023: Dawn of field theoretic approach
Gravity2025: New horizon of black hole physics
Important deadlines:
Registration: 29 March 2026, 23:59 KST
Abstract submission: 5 April 2026, 23:59 KST
Confirmed Invited Speakers:
Ana Achucarro (Leiden U, Netherlands)
Antonio De Felice (YITP, Japan)
Jaume Garriga (ICCUB, Spain)
Fawad Hassan (Stockholm U, Sweden)
Donghui Jeong (Penn State U, USA)
Matteo Magi (IBS, Korea)
Takahiro Matsubara (KEK, Japan)
Shinji Mukohyama (YITP/RESCEU, Japan)
Nils Albin Nilsson (IBS, Korea)
Changbom Park (KIAS, Korea)
Seong Chan Park (Yonsei U, Korea)
Mairi Sakellariadou (King’s Coll. London, UK)
Misao Sasaki (APCTP/IPMU, Korea and Japan)
Teruaki Suyama (Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan)
Gianmassimo Tasinato (Swansea U, UK)
Niels Warburton (University Coll. Dublin, Ireland)
Local Organizing Committee:
Sebastian Bahamonde, Mohammad Ali Gorji, Dong-Won Jung, Nils Albin Nilsson, Hyunbae Park, Masahide Yamaguchi
Scientific Advisory Committee:
Katsuki Aoki (YITP), Antonio De Felice (YITP), Francesco Di Filippo (Goethe U.), Mohammad Ali Gorji (IBS), Shinji Mukohyama (YITP/RESCEU), Naritaka Oshita (YITP), Masroor C. Pookkillath (Sogang U.), Kazufumi Takahashi (Nihon U.), Masahide Yamaguchi (IBS)
Contact:
For general inquiries, please use ctpu-cga-admin(AT)ibs.re.kr
WE Heraeus Physics School und 62. Karpacz Winter School in Theoretical Physics “Multimessenger Astrophysics and Cosmology”, February 28 – March 6 2026 in Karpacz
The WE Heraeus Physics School and the 62nd Karpacz Winter School in Theoretical Physics "Multimessenger Astrophysics and Cosmology" will be held from 28 February to 6 March 2026.
Compact stars, dense remnants of supernovae, compress about 1.4 solar masses into a 10 km radius—reaching densities beyond atomic nuclei. Their extreme compactness makes them unique laboratories for high-density matter. Gravitational-wave detections of binary neutron star mergers now allow direct probes of such conditions, with hot, dynamic post-merger remnants offering complementary insight to cold pulsars.
With next-generation observatories like the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer, multi-messenger astrophysics—combining gravitational waves, electromagnetic signals, and neutrinos—will sharpen constraints on the dense-matter equation of state, extreme gravity, and heavy-element nucleosynthesis. Mergers also serve as standard sirens, enabling independent measurements of the Hubble constant.
The school will cover the thermal history of the Universe after its first second, from the quark–hadron transition to neutrino decoupling, linking microphysics to cosmological observables. Topics include the Hubble tension, modified gravity, primordial magnetic fields, compact-object mergers, future gravitational-wave science, and primordial black holes as dark-matter or galaxy-seed candidates—offering a unified view across astrophysics, cosmology, and particle physics.
Einstein Telescope science workshop for early career Researchers, February 18-20, 2026 at Sapienza University of Rome
The workshop wants to bring together young researchers actively involved in the activities of the Observational Science Board (OSB), Instrumental Science Board (ISB) and Site Characterization Board (SCB) of the Einstein Telescope. Leaving plenty of room for discussions, it will be a great occasion to share research and ideas, start projects, learn about new topics, and build collaborations.
It does not matter whether you like cosmology or pulsars, individual sources or backgrounds, data analysis, cryogenics, quantum noise reduction, or novel sensing and control systems … if you are young and interested in ET science, this is the right place!
After an opening session on the broad activities of ET ISB, OSB and SCB, the workshop is organized as a series of parallel sessions between OSB and ISB, each featuring two talks by expert early career researcher, laying the ground on the topics of relevance for each division, followed by ample room for discussion.
As additional information for all the ET enthusiasts: there is another workshop, the Einstein Telescope Research Infrastructure: Challenges and Long-Term Sustainability workshop, to be held in Rome at Sapienza University on February 16–17.
Key dates
Registration open: October 22nd 2025
Program announcement: mid-November 2025
Registration deadline: January 6th 2026
Start! February 18th 2026
Neutron Stars: Modelling and Detection – SIGRAV International School 2026, February 16-20 in Vietri sul Mare
This edition of the Italian Society of General Relativity and Gravitation (SIGRAV) International School is dedicated to the study of neutron stars as outstanding sources of gravitational and electromagnetic waves in the strong-field regime. The program is structured to promote scholarly interaction and collaboration, offering participants the opportunity to engage with leading experts in the field. Through a series of advanced lectures and discussions, the School aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of current developments in gravitational research and to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to advance their own scientific work in the study of gravity.
The School will take place in Vietri sul Mare (SA), Italy, 16-20 February 2026.
The program of the School comprises the following four courses:
- B. Haskell (Milan Univ., IT): Modelling of Neutron Stars as Gravitational Wave Sources
- T. Hinderer (Utrecht Univ., NL) : Gravitational Signal from Late Inspiral and Merger of Neutron Stars
- M.A. Papa (AEI, Hannover, DE) : Detection of Continuous Gravitational Waves
- G. Ghirlanda (INAF, Brera, IT): Multimessenger Astrophysics with Neutron Stars
A social excursion is planned for Wednesday, offering participants the opportunity to visit the Royal Palace of Caserta
The School is intended for PhD students and young post-docs. In order to receive the certificate of participation, all lectures and seminars should be attended.
The Participation Fee (350 EUR for non-SIGRAV members, 300 EUR for SIGRAV members) guarantee the access to all courses and activities, including lunch and coffee breaks.
A reduced participation fee (50 EUR) is available for those which will be only able to attend the lectures remotely.
The room should be booked in the Lloyd’s Baia Hotel. Please, reserve your room by using the form available in the section “Practical Info – Accomodation and Transport”.
The deadline for registration and payment of the relative fee is 06 February 2025 (see Registration section).