Abstract
The first detection of gravitational waves from the Ligo-Virgo-Kagra collaboration and the recent results of several pulsar timing arrays have opened the exploration of the gravitational wave Universe. Over the next decade, several other ground and space-based experiments will join this exploration and allow us to access a broad band of the gravitational wave spectrum. This new exploration comes with a series of challenges that can only be overcome through close collaboration between experimentalists and theorists. This workshop will bring together experts working on the experiments enabling this exploration, as well as particle physicists and cosmologists, to discuss the open challenges that this new exploration presents and highlight the synergies between these different communities.

Topics
Week 1 (24th - 30th August): Pulsar Timing Arrays
Recent evidence for a gravitational-wave background in the nanohertz band has opened a new window into the universe. While this finding represents a major milestone, significant challenges remain in identifying and characterising the source of this background. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together experts from the pulsar timing and broader GW communities to address these challenges. The goals of this week are: (1) discuss current results and their interpretation, (2) develop improved analysis methods for future datasets, and (3) explore the potential of pulsar timing arrays discoveries for astrophysics, cosmology, and particle physics.

Week 2 (31st August - 6th September): Space-Based GW Detectors
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will open the unexplored milli-Hertz band of the gravitational-wave spectrum, where we expect to find signals from a vast array of astrophysical sources. The LISA mission will produce data sets containing thousands of overlapping signals, presenting an analysis challenge that goes far beyond anything encountered so far in gravitational wave astronomy, and will require the combined expertise of waveform modelers, astrophysicists, and data analysts to interpret. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together experts from these fields and facilitate discussions across their domain of expertise. The goals of the workshop are to (1) identify outstanding scientific challenges that need to be addressed, (2) propose new approaches to address these challenges, and (3) foster collaborations between experts in different fields to work together on problems that cut across disciplines.

Week 3 (7th - 13th September): Conference Week

Week 4 (14th - 20th September): Ground-Based GW Detectors
The LVK network has observed hundreds of compact binary coalescences, establishing gravitational-wave astronomy as a mature field. Upgrades to current instruments and next-generation detectors will increase detection rates by orders of magnitude and extend sensitivity across cosmic history. This brings new demands on waveform accuracy, parameter estimation, and overlapping signals, while opening opportunities to probe the neutron-star equation of state, cosmology, and the nature of gravity. The workshop brings together detector experts, waveform modelers, and theorists to confront these challenges. The goals are to (1) assess the science reach of ground-based detectors, (2) develop the analysis and modeling tools to exploit it, and (3) strengthen collaboration between the experimental, astrophysical, and theoretical communities.

Week 5 (21st - 27th September): Ultra-High Frequency GW Detectors

Application:
To submit your application, please click the Apply button above and complete the registration form. The minimum stay is one week; however, participants are strongly encouraged to stay for several weeks to make the most of the program. If you plan to attend the conference week, and you want to submit a contributed talk, please include the title and abstract in the notes section of the application form. The application deadline is April 30, 2026.

Accommodation:
Selected participants will have the opportunity to book accommodation through GGI, ensuring access to the best available rates at local hotels. A limited number of participants may receive support from GGI to cover local expenses. If you wish to be considered for such support, please indicate this in your application.

For more information about program, participants, and logistics, see the Indico page of the event.


Organizers

Diego Blas — ICREA and IFAE Barcelona
Neil Cornish — Montana State University
Valeriya Korol — SRON Space Research Organisation Netherlands
Andrea Mitridate — Imperial College London
Mauro Pieroni — Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Madrid
Michele Redi — INFN Florence
Alberto Sesana — University of Milano Bicocca, INFN and INAF Milan

Local organizer
Michele Redi

Contact
andrea.mitridate@nanograv.org
michele.redi@fi.infn.it

Website
https://agenda.infn.it/event/50234/

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