Schedule Sunday, October 16th 7:00pm: Reception (Appetizers and Drinks) Mansion at Judges Hill (website) Map & Parking (pdf) 1900 Rio Grande Blvd., (512) 495-1800 Monday, October 17th 8:45: Welcoming Statements Mary Ann Rankin, Dean, College of Natural Sciences Don Winget, Chair, Department of Astronomy   Session I, ACES 2.302 - Judit Györgyey Ries, Chair, bio 9:00-9:40: Asteroids, Kuiper Belt Objects, Comets, Satellites and the Formation of Our Solar System Scott Sheppard, Carnegie DTM abstract   bio 9:40-10:20: What do Multiple Planet Systems Teach Us About Planet Formation? Eric Ford, Berkeley abstract   bio 10:20-11:00: Coffee & Posters, ACES 2.402 11:00-11:40: Massive Star Formation: A Tale of Two Theories Mark Krumholz, Princeton abstract   bio 11:40-12:20: Probing Chemistry During Star and Planet Formation Jackie Kessler-Silacci, UT abstract   bio 12:20-2:00: Lunch* & Posters *includes a 1 hour Q&A session with postdoc speakers and graduate students   Session II, ACES 2.302 - Michael Siegel, Chair, bio 2:00-2:40: Disks Around Young Stars Christine Chen, NOAO abstract   bio 2:40-3:20: Local Interstellar Medium Seth Redfield, UT abstract   bio 3:20-4:00: Coffee & Posters, ACES 2.402 4:00-4:40: Large-scale Structures in the ISM Naomi McClure-Griffiths, ATNF abstract   bio 4:40-5:40: Panel Discussion 5:40-6:30: Posters, Informal Discussion 7:30pm: Conference Dinner at Fonda San Miguel Map & Parking (pdf) 2330 W. North Loop, (512) 459-4121 Tuesday, October 18th   Session III, ACES 2.302 - Martin Landriau, Chair, bio 9:00-9:40: Stellar Abundances: Recent and Foreseeable Trends Carlos Allende-Prieto, UT abstract   bio The determination of chemical abundances from stellar spectra is considered a mature field of astrophysics. Digital spectra of stars are recorded and processed with standard techniques, much like samples in the biological sciences. Nevertheless, uncertainties typically exceed 20%, and are dominated by systematic errors. The first part of this talk will address what is being done to reduce measurement errors; and what is not being done, but should. The second part will review some of the new and most exciting applications of stellar spectroscopy in the arenas of galactic structure, the origin of the chemical elements, and cosmology. 9:40-10:20: Black Holes Jon Miller, Univ. Michigan abstract   bio 10:20-11:00: Coffee & Posters, ACES 2.402 11:00-11:40: Jets and Accretion in Microquasars and in AGN Sera Markoff, MIT abstract   bio 11:40-12:20: Galactic Chemical Evolution Yeshe Fenner, CfA abstract   bio 12:20-2:00: Lunch* & Posters *includes a 1 hour Q&A session with postdoc speakers and graduate students   Session IV - Niv Drory, Chair, bio 2:00-2:40: The N-body Approach to Disk Galaxy Evolution Victor Debattista, Univ. Washington abstract   bio 2:40-3:20: Galaxy Formation Eric Gawiser, Yale abstract   bio 3:20-4:00: Coffee & Posters, ACES 2.402 4:00-4:40: Lyman-alpha Forest as a Cosmological Probe Matteo Viel, IoA abstract   bio 4:40-5:40: Panel Discussion 5:40-6:00: Concluding Remarks David Lambert, Director, McDonald Observatory Frank Bash, Professor, Department of Astronomy 6:00-6:30: Posters, Informal Discussion Evening: Informal "Night on the Town"