The early growth of galaxies and their massive black holes (MBHs) remains one of the major open questions in astrophysics. Recent observations from JWST, ALMA, Euclid, HST, and wide spectroscopic surveys from ground-based observatories have transformed our view of the Universe, revealing a remarkable variety of low-mass, low-metallicities systems with extreme emission-line properties -such as green peas and little red dots- across a broad redshift range, alongside unexpectedly abundant UV-bright galaxies up to z > 14, quiescent systems at z ~ 7, compact stellar clusters at z > 10, and numerous MBH candidates. Populations of extreme emission-line systems, with their bursty star formation, evolving ISM conditions, and strong feedback signatures, provide critical insights into the evolutionary phases that may dominate during the earliest cosmic epochs.

Collectively, these discoveries offer unique laboratories across cosmic time to investigate bursty star formation, the origins and fueling of MBHs, feedback processes, and early chemical enrichment in low-mass, low-metallicity systems and more evolved galaxies. They shed light on the complex interplay among gas, dust, metals, and stars, while simultaneously challenging many existing theoretical models. This highlights the need for a new generation of theoretical frameworks capable of capturing the intricate physics of galaxy and MBH formation over cosmic history. Rapid advances in emission-line modeling, large-scale simulations, and semi-analytical models provide powerful novel tools to interpret these discoveries, including more realistic treatments of MBH seeding and accretion, refined AGN feedback models, advanced radiative transfer simulations, and the modeling of dust and multi-phase interstellar gas. These observational and theoretical efforts will be crucial for generating robust predictions for ongoing and forthcoming wide and deep spectro-photometric surveys (e.g. DESI, 4MOST, MOONS...) as well as future space missions such as Athena and AXIS in X-ray, and the LISA gravitational wave antenna.

This symposium will bring together observers and theorists to engage with the latest discoveries on galaxies across cosmic time, extreme star formation, MBH formation and evolution, alongside state-of-the-art and next-generation theoretical frameworks. By fostering dialogue between these communities, and by combining insights from early-Universe observations, detailed studies of analogs in the nearby to intermediate Universe, and advanced modelling, the meeting aims to define the next steps toward a self-consistent understanding of galaxy formation and evolution across all mass scales, from cosmic dawn to the present.

Programme

1. Extreme Star Formation in Low-Mass Galaxies Across Cosmic Time
   • Physical drivers of extreme emission lines
   • Bursty star formation and ISM conditions
   • Connections between local EELGs and compact high-z systems
2. High-Redshift Galaxy Formation After JWST: Observations and Models
   • Galaxy assembly from z = 2-15
   • Early quiescent and post-starburst galaxies
   • Stellar populations, dust, morphologies, and the IMF
   • Synergies between JWST and theoretical predictions
3. The Emergence of Black Holes: Seeding, Early Growth, and Feedback
   • Early BH seeding pathways and accretion
   • Faint AGN, Little Red Dots, and compact sources
   • AGN feedback channels and interactions with the ISM/CGM
   • Connecting BH activity to extreme star-forming phases
4. Feedback and Chemical Evolution from Local Benchmarks to Cosmic Dawn
   • Chemical enrichment and evolution of metals, dust, and gas
   • Stellar vs. AGN feedback across mass and redshift
   • Linking low-z and high-z constraints on the baryon cycle
   • Synergies among JWST, ALMA, Euclid, ELT, SKA, ATHENA, LISA

Invited speakers

Scientific organisers

• Ricardo Amorín (IAA-CSIC, Spain) --Chair
• Elia Cenci (Univ. Geneve, Switzerland) -- Chair
• Melanie Habouzit (Univ. Geneve, Switzerland) -- Co-chair
• Sandra Zamora (Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy) -- Co-chair
• Karla Arellano-Cordova (Univ. Edinburgh, UK)
• Silvia Bonoli (DIPC, Spain)
• Pedro R. Capelo (UZH, Switzerland)
• Pratika Dayal (Univ. Toronto, Canada)
• Dale Kocevski (Colby College, US)
• Pascal Oesch (Univ. Geneve, Switzerland)
• Polychronis Papaderos (Centro de Astrofísica Univ. do Porto, Portugal)
• Daniel Schaerer (Univ. Geneve, Switzerland)
• Jose M. Vílchez (IAA-CSIC, Spain)
• Marta Volonteri (IAP, France)

Contact