This was the inaugural conference of the new Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (CERCA) at CWRU. This center will develop resources to continue the world class experimental and theoretical research programs in these areas at CWRU, while working in close partnership with the Shafran Planetarium at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History , and with other institutions to help develop first-rate popular programming to help disseminate information on cosmology and astrophysics to the public.

The Kavli-CERCA Conference on the Future of Cosmology was generously supported by the Kavli Institute and Case Western Reserve University to celebrate the creation of CERCA at Case Western Reserve University, and to provide a forum to examine key questions facing cosmology, particle physics, and astrophysics in the next 25 years. Questions we explored ranged from: What are the prospects for the existence of extra dimensions? to What are the best tools to push the frontiers of astrophysics?. We had an interesting balance of 74 leading observers, experimentalists, and theorists at the meeting, and also provided funds for a dozen graduate students and postdocs from around the world to attend the meeting. Get the Kavli-CERCA conference poster.

Several exciting social events were enjoyed, see below for details.