Science Events in Charlottesville

Understanding effects of star-forming environments on planet-forming disks. Traditionally, planet-forming disks were thought to evolve in isolation to form planetary systems like our Solar System. Recent studies, however, increasingly show that these disks instead evolve within complex and dynamic environments. External irradiation, infall of fresh material from surrounding clouds, and stellar flybys can significantly alter physical and compositional properties of these disks. This conference will bring together observational and theoretical perspectives to assess the current state of the field, connect physical mechanisms to population-level trends, and identify the key open questions in understanding how environments shape planet-forming disks.