[ASA] Olympian Symposium May 2026, “The evolution of interstellar medium across cosmic times”

[Kathryn Grasha]

Dear Colleague,


We are pleased to announce the upcoming Olympian Symposium 2026, “The evolution of interstellar medium across cosmic times”. This is the 5th in the Olympian Symposium series, and it will take place during 18-22 May, 2026, in Paralia Katerini, Greece, at the Mediterranean Village Hotel, located by the sea at the foot of the world-famous Mount Olympus.


The Olympian Symposia began in 2014 and have since established themselves as a series of focused meetings on star formation and the interstellar medium, promoting collaboration and fruitful discussion in a unique setting that combines science with the inspiring environment of the sea and Mount Olympus.


The 2026 Symposium will continue this tradition, bringing together researchers from around the world to exchange new ideas and results. Further information, including registration, abstract submission, and travel details, will be shared in due course. Please visit the official website: olympiansymposium.org<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/hR9WC0YKPvimA6jRKcwf4t9lYcz?domain=olympiansymposium.org>


We encourage you to join the website and enter your email to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all updates regarding the meeting.


We look forward to welcoming you to Mt. Olympus area in 2026 for what promises to be an exciting and stimulating Symposium. We include below the scientific rationale, the list of topics, and the members of the Scientific Organizing Committee.


With best regards,

Katie Grasha

on behalf of the Organizing Committee



Scientific Rationale

The interstellar medium plays a fundamental role in the life cycle of galaxies, acting as the reservoir from which stars and planetary systems form, and as the matter returned through stellar feedback processes. Tracing the evolution of the ISM from the early universe to the present day is essential to understanding galaxy formation, chemical enrichment, star formation histories, and the emergence of habitable environments.


Recent advances in both observations and numerical models – from JWST and ALMA to high-resolution simulations – now allow us to study the ISM across a wide range of epochs and environments. At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and machine learning is opening new avenues in numerical modeling, data analysis, and predictive simulations, enabling us to tackle the ISM’s complexity in unprecedented ways.


This Symposium aims to bring together experts in galactic and extragalactic ISM studies, star formation, astrochemistry, and cosmology to synthesize our current understanding and chart future directions.


Discussion topics

Discussion will cover a range of topics, including:

  *   Low-metallicity ISM

  *   Extreme ISM environments

  *   Feedback and the ISM lifecycle

  *   Gaseous Environments Across Cosmic Epochs

  *   Dusty Environments

  *   Cosmic Rays, Magnetic Fields, and Turbulence in the ISM

  *   The ISM Across Cosmic Time: Observational Frontiers

  *   Numerical Models, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning


Scientific Organizing Committee

Thomas Bisbas (Zhejiang Lab, China; co-chair)

Brandt Gaches (University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; co-chair)

Kathryn Grasha (Australian National University, Australia)

Francois Lique (Universite de Rennes, France)

Desika Narayanan (University of Florida, USA)

Hsi-An Pan (Tamkang University, Taiwan)







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Dr. Kathryn Grasha
ARC DECRA Fellow
Research School for Astronomy & Astrophysics
Australian National University
Weston Creek ACT 2611
pronouns: she, her, hers
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