We are organizing a scientific event during COSPAR 44, the 2022 assembly of the Committee for Space Research, to be held in Athens, Greece.

Almost 40 years since the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) completed the first, full-sky survey, a succession of infrared space-born facilities (ISO, Spitzer and Herschel) have each pushed the frontiers, helping us to uncover the complex processes which govern the formation of stars and planets. The unique capabilities of the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will soon allow us to study the, otherwise inaccessible, energetic processes governing the formation of stars and planets, to an unprecedented detail.

The session comes in prompt time to discuss the first-light data from JWST in the context of the star-formation scheme established from previous space-infrared facilities, but also in comparison with the recent discoveries from ground-based interferometers. Our main goal is to bring together experts with diverse observational and theoretical/modeling backgrounds to discuss the in-flight capabilities of JWST and establish, early on in the mission lifetime, the key science drivers for follow-up studies.

For more information, visit the meeting website at https://cospar-assembly.org/admin/session_cospar.php?session=1069

Main Scientific Organizer: Odysseas Dionatos (University of Vienna)
Deputy Organizer: Marc Audard (University of Geneva)
Scientific Organizing Committee: Ágnes Kóspál (Konkoly Observatory, Hungary), Francois Ménard (University of Grenoble, France), Joel Green (StScI, USA), Inga Kamp (University of Groningen)