2014: The Formation and Evolution of Exponential Disks in Galaxies

This workshop focused on exponential stellar disks in galaxies, addressing fundamental questions about the identity, formation, properties, and behavior of these ubiquitous features.

2011: New Horizons Workshop on Icy Surface Processes

This workshop was sponsored by NASA’s New Horizons mission as a lead-up to the 2015 Pluto encounter. The workshop focused on processes relevant to geology and compositions of icy surfaces. Many of the session abstracts are available to view on the workshop website.

2009: Solar Analogs II

A follow-up to the 1997 Solar Analogs Workshop at Lowell, this workshop focused on the Sun and its closest stellar cousins, and how they vary over time. Many of the session abstracts are available to view on the workshop website.

2008: Massive Hot Stars: A Lifetime of Influence, aka “Contifest”

Formally named Massive Hot Stars: A Lifetime of Influence, this workshop was convened by Dr. Phil Massey and honored the career and scientific accomplishments of Dr. Peter S. Conti, who greatly influenced the field of massive star research. About 80 participants from 12 countries came to Flagstaff for this 2 1/2 day workshop. Many of the session abstracts and presentations, as well as pictures from the meeting, are available to view on the workshop website.

2002: The Outer Edges of Dwarf Irregular Galaxies

Convened by Drs. Deidre Hunter and Sally Oey, the 65 attendees at this workshop discussed some of the most extreme environments for star formation: the tenuous edges of small galaxies, which yield vital clues to the dominant processes in this interaction between galactic and intergalactic material. Many of the session abstracts and presentations are available to view on the workshop website.

1999: Pluto and Triton: Comparisons and Evolution Over Time

Convened by Dr. Will Grundy, this workshop focused on comparative planetology of the then two known bodies in the outer solar system with volatile ice-rich surfaces: Pluto and Triton. Discussion centered on the formation, early history, geology, and surface compositions of these worlds and how they evolved over time.

1998: Optical/IR Interferometry Workshop

Thanks to the presence of the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer (since renamed the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer) at our Anderson Mesa observing station, we hosted 125 astronomers to discuss methods and techniques of doing optical and IR interferometry. The workshops was generously sponsored by the United States Naval Observatory, the Naval Research Lab, and the National Science Foundation.

1998: Exploring the Kuiper Belt: Where Do We Go from Here?

Held September 3-4, 1998.

1997: Solar Analogs: Characteristics and Optimum Candidates

This conference focused on the nature of Sun-like stars: which stars are most similar to the Sun, how we determine which ones they are, and why we care.

1996: The Role of Small Telescopes in Modern Astronomy

Lowell’s first first fall workshop addressed the issues of science that can be done with non-monstrous telescopes, and the future of broad access to such facilities by the astronomical community.