Prof. FRANCISCO SÁNCHEZ
(Director of the IAC)

For over a decade now, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias has hosted the Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, in which young astrophysicists from all over the world have the opportunity of meeting accredited specialists to study the topics of most active concern in present-day astronomy. Over these eleven years 88 lecturers and more than 700 students have attended the Winter School, with an even higher number unable to attend due to the limited number of places available.

This year’s Winter School is dedicated to galaxies at high redshift. Following major advances in the last decade, thanks to 4 m class telescopes - such as the William Herschel Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos – and with the advent of various giant 10 m class optical and infrared telescopes - such as the Gran Telescopio Canarias - this Winter School should provide the emerging generation of astronomers with new methods to study the formation and early evolution of galaxies.

On the occasion of the eleventh Winter School, I should like to reiterate yet again my long-held wish that those attending the School stay in touch with one another and with the IAC, in the manner of an informal club.

For our part, we undertake to stay in touch with you, wherever you may be and by whatever means of communication (you can contact us through Ana Quevedo at aqg@ll.iac.es to let us know if there are any changes to your address, etc.). Besides any printed matter you may receive from us, you can also find the latest information concerning the IAC from our Web page http://www.iac.es/.