In-person registration is now closed. Virtual registration is open until April 30, 2025.

Dates and Location 

The 3-day fully hybrid working meeting will be held on May 19 - 21, 2025, at Caltech, in Pasadena, CA and on Zoom for virtual participants.

Note the change of venue: the meeting will now be held at the Hameetman Auditorium in the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Caltech. 

Goal of the Meeting

In order to build the strongest case for the selection of PRIMA, we are bringing a large and representative cross-section of the future user community together to highlight the pressing science cases driving the need for a FIR observatory. With this meeting we particularly aim to engage a broad group of theorists and multiwavelength observers to identify and define community-led science cases. If selected, PRIMA will dedicate 75% of its observing time to general observer science.

Invited speakers will highlight the role of PRIMA for science in the coming decade as well as more generally addressing key topics including science cases unique to the FIR, science cases enabled by new technological advances, follow up of exciting discoveries from current facilities like JWST and ALMA, and synergy with future facilities including the Roman Space Telescope and the NGVLA.

Background

Far-Infrared (FIR) wavelengths are essential to addressing some of the astronomy’s highest-priority science topics, from identifying the origins of planetary systems by tracing the astrochemical signatures of their host disks, to understanding the buildup of galaxies by probing the co-evolution of their stars and supermassive black holes across cosmic time. By filling a critical gap in capabilities between wavelengths accessible to ALMA and JWST, FIR wavelengths provide an unparalleled window into the obscured universe and access key tracers of star formation, black hole growth, and planet formation. With no currently operating FIR observing facilities, the astronomical community is at a critical juncture for ensuring observational access to these wavelengths. PRIMA (the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), is a mission concept proposed to NASA’s Astrophysics Probe Explorer line (APEX) for a probe-class mission for thr 2030 decade. PRIMA is currently in a Phase A study period, with final mission selection expected in 2026.

Registration and Hybrid Format

We strongly encourage in-person participation. We can accommodate up to 64 people. We will also enable online participation. To register, both for in-person and virtual attendance, go to: https://conference.ipac.caltech.edu/prima-pasadena2025/page/registration.

Invited Speakers

Laia Baruffet (University of Edinburgh)
Jenny Bregner (UC Berkeley)
Christine Chen (STScI)
Elisabete da Cunha (University of Western Australia)
Kishalay De (Columbia)
Ilse De Looze (University of Ghent)
Katherine De Kleer (Caltech)
Catherine Espaillat (Boston University)
Laura Fissel (Queen’s University)
Rob Gutermuth (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Anna Ho (Cornell University)
Jacob Jencson (Caltech)
Mariko Kubo (Tohuku University)
Ryan Lau (NOIRLab)
Joshua Lovell (Harvard CfA)
David Setton (Princeton University)
Justin Spilker (Texas A&M)
Mehrnoosh Tahani (Stanford)
Rich Teague (MIT)
Jorge Zavala (University of Massachusetts Amherst)