DRAFT — for organizer review

Formation and Evolution of Giant Planets and Their Moons

A workshop in honor of Dave Stevenson

California Institute of Technology · Pasadena, CA

August 30 – September 1, 2027

Dave Stevenson teaching
Dave Stevenson. Photo: Corvus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

“It’s more complicated than that.”

— Dave Stevenson

About the workshop

For more than four decades, Dave Stevenson has shaped how we think about the interiors, origins and evolution of planets — from the deep structure of Jupiter and Saturn to the moons that orbit them. This invitation-only workshop brings together his colleagues, collaborators and former students to celebrate his work and to take stock of where the field stands today.

Scientific themes

  • Formation of giant planets and their satellite systems
  • Giant planet interiors, equations of state and dilute cores
  • Magnetic fields and dynamos
  • Thermal and orbital evolution of planets and moons
  • The Jupiter system in the era of Juno, Europa Clipper and JUICE

Format

The meeting will be held at Caltech over three days, August 30 – September 1, 2027, with invited talks and ample time for discussion. Attendance is by invitation.

Scientific organizing committee

  • Konstantin Batygin (Caltech)
  • Hao Cao (UCLA / Imperial College London)
  • Ben Idini (UC Santa Cruz)
  • Miki Nakajima (University of Rochester)
  • Joe O'Rourke (Arizona State University)
  • Kaveh Pahlevan (SETI Institute)

Schedule, venue and logistics

Details will be posted here as they are finalized.