2nd international vortex workshop
October 9 - 11, 2023 − University of Liège
Scope and agenda
The 2nd international vortex workshop is a three-day invitation-only in-person workshop dedicated to high contrast imaging, and more specifically to vortex coronagraphy, to be held at University of Liège (Belgium) from October 9th to 11th, 2023. This workshop follows the very successful 1st international vortex workshop that was held in August 2016 at Caltech. It will gather the high-contrast imaging teams of Caltech/JPL and University of Liège, as well as several other experts in the field. The attendance will be limited to about 30, and there will be no registration fee.
Although the prime goal of the workshop will be to review the progress of vortex-related projects at Caltech/JPL, University of Liège, and other collaborating institutions, we will reserve several time slots for contributed talks on related topics. The workshop is expected to include ample time for discussions, and to foster the emergence of new ideas and concepts in the field of vortex coronagraphy, and more generally high contrast imaging/spectroscopy for future large ground-based and space-borne telescope (TMT, ELT, HWO, ...).
Topics addressed during the workshop will include (non-exhaustive list):
- Coronagraphic concepts & technologies
- Coronagraphic wavefront sensing & control
- High-contrast testbeds
- Ground- & space-based instrumentation
- On-sky operations and scientific exploitation
...
The final agenda (with links to presentations) is available here, and the final list of participants here.
Scientific Organizing Committee
- Lorenzo König (ULiège)
- Niyati Desai (Caltech)
- Olivier Absil (ULiège)
- Dimitri Mawet (Caltech)
Local Organizing Committee
- Lorenzo König
- Gilles Orban de Xivry
- Christian Delacroix
- Nicole Massin
- Olivier Absil
Meeting venue
The meeting will take place on the Sart Tilman campus of University of Liège, located about 10km south from the city center. The meeting will be hosted in the Law Department, building B31, in "Salle du Conseil" located on floor +3. This is just one floor above the main entrance (which is at floor +2). From the main entrance, take a right at the end of the main hallway, and follow the signs. Videos illustrating how to reach "Salle du Conseil" from the entrance of B31 can be found here.
The location of building B31 can be found on Google maps.
To access the Sart Tilman campus, take bus 48 at the Guillemins (central) train station, heading towards "Sart Tilman CHU", and stop at "Amphitheatres". It is then a 3-min walk down to the B31 building. A map of the Sart Tilman campus (Agora zone) highlighting building B31 can be found here (see also image below).
Coffee breaks and lunches will be served in the nearby Faculty room (same level as Salle du Conseil).
How to get to Liège
Liège is very well connected to Western Europe by train:
- 2h from Paris (Thalys),
- 3h from Francfort (ICE) and Amsterdam (Thalys),
- 6-7h from Munich (ICE), Zürich (ICE) and Grenoble (TGV).
We encourage all participants traveling within Europe to consider the train as a prime option. International travel to LIège by train can be planned on the SNCB/NMBS international web site.
For those of you traveling by plane, the main airport in Belgium is Brussels Airport. It is a 1h train ride from Brussels airport to Liège, with a connection in Leuven. Details about the train connection from and to the airport can be found on the SNCB/NMBS national web site (train stop: "Brussels Airport"). Other nearby airports include Brussels South Charleroi (low cost companies) and Köln/Bonn airport. Within a 3h train ride are Paris Charles-de-Gaule, Amsterdam-Schiphol, and Francfort airports.
Accomodation
Here are some hotel suggestions:
Hotel de la Couronne ***
Next to the train station
Address: Place des Guillemins 11, 4000 Liège
https://www.hoteldelacouronne.be/fr/
Ibis Styles Liège ***
Next to the train station
Address: Rue des Guillemins 135, 4000 Liège
https://all.accor.com/hotel/B6D9/index.fr.shtml
Hotel van der Valk Liège Congrès ****
20-min walk from the train station
Address: Esplanade de l'Europe 2, 4020 Liège
https://www.congreshotelliege.be
