NewAthena · Science Working Group 2

NewAthena SWG2
Meeting

Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes

25 – 29 January 2027  ·  ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk  ·  The Netherlands

Register Program
About the meeting

This five-day meeting at ESA/ESTEC, organised by the NewAthena Science Working Group 2 (SWG2), brings together researchers working on galaxies and supermassive black holes in X-rays. The meeting is science-driven: centred on the presentation and discussion of results spanning the full scope of SWG2 science.

The timing is deliberate. Scheduled after the SWG2 Special Issue deadline in the Journal of High Energy Astrophysics, the meeting provides a natural forum for authors to present their recently submitted work. The meeting is open to all SWG2 science, not only to researchers contributing to the Special Issue — anyone working in the field is warmly encouraged to present their work.

NewAthena & SWG2

NewAthena (planned launch: late 2030s) is ESA's next flagship X-ray observatory. SWG2 — Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes — gathers researchers working on AGN physics, galaxy evolution, and the cosmic X-ray background.

Scientific Scope

NewAthena SWG2 encompasses studies of galaxies and their AGN, and their coevolution at all scales: the geometry and origin of X-ray emitting regions, AGN outflows and their energetics, AGN and stellar feedback on host galaxies, and AGN population studies up to high redshift to constrain the seeds and growth of supermassive black holes.

Scientific Program

The meeting will start on Monday at noon and end on Friday around noon

Mon 25 Jan
Tue 26 Jan
Wed 27 Jan
Thu 28 Jan
Fri 29 Jan

The full programme will be posted here after 20 November 2026.

X-ray Emitting Regions

The geometry and origin of X-ray emitting regions: corona–disc coupling, X-ray variability, reflection, reverberation, and high-resolution spectroscopy of AGN winds and outflows.

AGN Feedback on Host Galaxies

The energetics, incidence, and effects of AGN outflows; kinetic and radiative AGN feedback and stellar feedback on host galaxies; SMBH–galaxy co-evolution across cosmic time.

AGN Populations & Seeds of SMBHs

AGN population studies up to high redshift to constrain the seeds and growth mechanisms of supermassive black holes, including the cosmic X-ray background.

Survey Science & Multi-wavelength Synergies

Deep WFI surveys, the faint AGN population, population statistics, and synergies with other observatories (e.g. Euclid, Rubin, SKA).

Registration and Abstract Submission

Registration is free of charge. We welcome contributed talks on all SWG2 science topics.

Registration and abstract submission opens September 4th 2026.

Opening September 2026
Venue & Travel

Venue

Aerial view of ESA/ESTEC campus in Noordwijk
ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk aan Zee, The Netherlands (aerial view)
Erasmus High Bay conference space at ESA/ESTEC
Erasmus High Bay, ESA/ESTEC — conference venue for the meeting

The meeting will be held at ESA/ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre), Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands. ESTEC is located ~30 km from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and ~15 km from Leiden.

The sessions will take place in the Erasmus High Bay conference centre at ESTEC. Upon arrival, participants must first report to the ESTEC gatehouse to collect their visitor badge before proceeding to the venue.

Please note that access to ESTEC is controlled. All participants will require an ESTEC visitor badge, for which nationality information is required for the security screening. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause — all necessary information will be collected at registration. Please ensure your registration is complete by 11 December 2026. Participants must bring their passport on-site.

Local buses to ESTEC

We recommend the app 9292 to plan any journey by public transport in the Netherlands. Bus tickets can be paid by card on the bus.

From Leiden Centraal
Bus 400 (Qbuzz R-NET) direct to ESTEC entrance gate. Journey ~25 min. Runs every 10–15 min during peak hours, every 30 min off-peak.
From Katwijk
Bus 400 also stops in Katwijk on the Leiden–ESTEC route. Journey ~10 min from Katwijk centre.
From Noordwijk
Bus 31 or 385 from Noordwijk centre to the bus stop near ESTEC (~10 min walk to the entrance gate). Journey ~10 min.
From The Hague (Den Haag)
Bus 385 from Den Haag Centraal, stopping at 'Schorpioen' bus stop in Katwijk (~8 min walk to ESTEC entrance).

Accommodation

Hotels in Noordwijk and Leiden are the most convenient options, as both are served by direct buses to ESTEC. Staying in The Hague (Den Haag) is also feasible.

Below we list some hotels in the area. Note that we do not have negotiated rates — standard prices apply.

Hotel list coming soon.

Travel to Leiden

✈️ By plane
Amsterdam Schiphol is the nearest international airport (~30 km). From Schiphol, trains to Leiden Centraal run frequently (every 15–20 minutes) and take about 15–20 minutes. From Leiden Centraal, take bus 400 directly to ESTEC.
🚆 By train
We strongly encourage travelling by train to reduce the meeting's carbon footprint. Check routes and buy international tickets at NS International. For domestic connections, use ns.nl. Leiden Centraal is very well connected to the Dutch rail network.
Climate Impact

We are committed to minimising the environmental footprint of this meeting and will calculate and report the CO₂-equivalent emissions of all conference activities, including travel, catering, and logistics.

✈️ Travel is the main source

For in-person conferences, travel consistently accounts for the largest share of CO₂ emissions — often over 90% of the total footprint. We strongly participants to travel by train wherever possible. When flying is unavoidable, we encourage carbon offsetting.

🥗 Food is the second biggest impact

Food choices are the second largest contributor to a conference's carbon footprint. The ESTEC canteen offers daily vegetarian and vegan options, and we encourage participants to choose plant-based meals when possible. Animal products (particularly red meat) have a significantly higher carbon and land-use footprint than plant-based alternatives.

Organisation

Scientific Organising Committee

  • Javier García NASA/GSFC · SWG2 Chair
  • Francisco Carrera IFCA (CSIC-UC) · SWG2 Co-Chair
  • Giovanni Miniutti CAB (CSIC-INTA) · SWG2 Co-Chair
  • Laura Brenneman Harvard-Smithsonian CfA · NASST Liaison
  • Hirofumi Noda Tohoku University · NASST Liaison
  • James Aird University of Edinburgh · NASST Liaison
  • Matteo Guainazzi ESA/ESTEC · NewAthena Project Scientist
  • Matilde Signorini ESA/ESTEC · Meeting Organiser
  • Bert Vander Meulen ESA/ESTEC · Meeting Organiser

Local Organising Committee

  • Matilde Signorini ESA/ESTEC · Meeting Organiser
  • Bert Vander Meulen ESA/ESTEC · Meeting Organiser

Venue

  • Erasmus High Bay ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
  • Keplerlaan 1 2201 AZ Noordwijk aan Zee
Contact

For questions about the meeting, abstract submission, or registration, please contact the organisers:

matilde.signorini[at]esa.int  ·  bert.vandermeulen[at]esa.int

Code of Conduct

All participants are expected to abide by the SCI/E Code of Conduct for conferences, that can be found here.