JENAM 2010 symposium, 9-10 September 2010, Lisbon, Portugal

While many lines of evidence highlight the role of dwarf galaxies in the cosmic scenery, as possible building blocks of Hubble-type galaxies and important contributors to the chemical enrichment of the Universe, the formation and evolution of these systems is only sketchily understood. The nearby Universe reveals a diversity of dwarf galaxies, spanning a wide range in their photometric, morphological and chemical properties. Does this sizeable galaxy population share a common evolutionary history or rather consist of physically and evolutionary distinct subclasses?

This symposium aims at providing a forum for observers and theoreticians to exchange ideas and new results on the many evolutionary aspects of dwarf galaxies near and far: what have we learned thus far and which are the main opportunities and challenges for the near future.

Some of the topics that will be addressed are:

• the birth of dwarf galaxies: theoretical concepts and observable relics across wavelength and time
• the morphological, structural and chemical evolution of dwarf galaxies
• evolutionary connections between early-type and late-type dwarfs
• the star formation history of dwarf galaxies and its dependance on intrinsic and environmental properties
• the origin and implications of starburst activity in dwarf galaxies
• the fate of dwarfish systems born out of tidally ejected matter in galaxy collisions

These are a few among the open questions that we wish to explore. Researchers in all fields of astronomy and cosmology, observational and theoretical, who are interested in them and can provide new clues are most welcome.

Registrations, abstract submissions and grant requests must be done through the main JENAM page.

Proceedings will be published by Springer Verlag in the Astrophysics & Space Science series.

Scientific Organizing Committee
Jarle Brinchmann (Leiden Observatory, The Netherlands / CAUP, Portugal)
Elias Brinks (University of Hertfordshire, UK)
Marla Geha (Yale University, USA)
Gerhard Hensler (University of Vienna, Austria)
Yuri I. Izotov (Main Astronomical Observatory, Ukraine)
Thorsten Lisker (University of Heidelberg, Germany)
Catarina Lobo (CAUP, Portugal)
Göran Östlin (Stockholm University, Sweden)
Polychronis Papaderos (CAUP, Portugal)
Simone Recchi (University of Vienna, Austria)
Eline Tolstoy (Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, The Netherlands)
Jose M. Vilchez (IAA-CSIC, Spain)


Contact SOC chair
Polychronis Papaderos


Local organizers
Jarle Brinchmann (Leiden/CAUP)
Catarina Lobo (CAUP)
Manuel Monteiro (CAUP - Sysadmin)
Polychronis Papaderos (CAUP)
Elsa Silva (CAUP - Admin)