1. Subject: Molecular gas beyond the Milky Way: astronomy and astrochemistry in extragalactic environments
2. Proposed Date, venue: 4-7 April 2016, Omni. 
  2a. Length 4 days
  2b. Specific venue: Omni, Charlottesville
3. Size: <200 attendees
4. Focus of Workshop (text for website):

ALMA’s line sensitivity and spectral grasp has resulted in the identification and imaging of more than forty molecules outside the Milky Way.  The workshop focuses on the character of the molecular gas in the varied environments in which these molecules are found beyond our Galaxy.  

ALMA’s images reveal distributions of these molecules that are often unexpected and whose physical significance is only slowly becoming apparent in some cases, and which remains obscure in others.  The conference will survey present knowledge of the distribution of molecules in galaxies.  It will    
   * explore the relationship between molecular distributions and physical processes in those galaxies, 
   * investigate the roles of molecular variation in extreme metallicity environments,
   * examine the existence and cause of isotopic gradients within galaxies,
   * scrutinize variations in molecular excitation, both rotational and vibrational,
   * seek evidence for and causes of molecular abundance gradients,
   * identify molecules useful as probes of nuclear infall and outflow, and
   * determine the prospects of molecules as probes of black hole masses.

Molecular excitation offers a special opportunity to examine molecules as probes of physical conditions in galaxies, particularly as diagnostics of nuclear processes - AGN versus star formation.  There are distinct opportunities for the investigation of astrochemistry across extragalactic environments, particularly for example to identify and differentiate hot gas-phase chemistry from ionization-dominated chemistry, both of which may be found near starbursts and active nuclei.

This international conference will bring together ALMA, VLA and GBT users and potential users of other upcoming facilities, such as ngVLA, JWST, and TMT to consider what capabilities or upgrades to these instruments might facilitate the study of extragalactic molecules most?

The 4-day NAASC workshop will consist of a number of invited talks (20m + 5m Q&A?) to guide the discussions of relevant questions to be addressed.  Contributed abstracts will be solicited, and the SOC will select a subset for oral presentations (10m + 5m).   The rest of the accepted abstracts will be posters, with 1m introductions (Flash Posters) of the posters during the meeting.

Workshop Dates and Deadlines:

eNews first appearance - 7 October, 2015
Abstracts Open – December 1, 2016
Registration Open – December 1, 2016
Abstracts Due – February 7, 2016
Final Program – March 1, 2016
Registration Closes - March 14, 2016 
Hotel Reservation Deadline– March 20, 2016 

The NAASC Workshop ‘Molecular gas beyond the Milky Way: astronomy and astrochemistry in extragalactic environments’ will be held in Charlottesville at the Omni Hotel 4-7 April 2016.