Background

Exoplanets by the Lake is a signature series that aims for an interactive, in-person summer school format among participants that is not easily achievable online. In 2026, our focus is on the geosciences of exoplanets, also known as "geoastronomy", and its connections to the origins of life. This vibrant research area is highly interdisciplinary and unifies knowledge from the Earth, planetary and exoplanet sciences.

The distinctive features of the summer school include:

  • Emphasis on in-person interaction at an attractive, self-contained venue with at most 20 participants. The number of participants is kept small in order to encourage unrestricted, interactive discussions among exoplanet scientists of all sub-disciplines and seniority.
  • The event will be held for 5.5 days (5 nights). The first 3 weekdays involve pedagogical lectures during the day. There is an optional half-day excursion, via ship on the lake. The last 2 days feature a mini-conference format, where a small number of invited experts share their views and interact with the participants. Participants have the chance to contribute short talks, if desired.

The intended audience of this summer school ranges from Master students to junior postdocs. Both experts and curious newcomers to the topic are welcome to attend. Senior scientists who are intending to switch research directions and/or attending as active listeners are also welcome.

Key details

Topic

Geoastronomy and origins of life

Lecturers

Prof. Paul Rimmer (Cambridge, England), Prof. Oliver Shorttle (Cambridge, England)

Invited Speakers

Prof. Steve Mojzsis (Bayreuth, Germany)

Organizer

Prof. Kevin Heng (Munich, Germany)

Dates

July 19 to 24 2026 (Sunday to Friday, 5 nights)

Venue

Hotel Seespitz Gaestehaus in Herrsching (1.5 hours from Munich airport by S Bahn).

Registration fee:

800 euros — includes hotel accommodation (shared; 2 participants to a room), all breakfasts and coffee/tea breaks (but no lunches/dinners).
Register no later than 2026 March 27 (Friday).

Lecturer profiles

Paul Rimmer

Paul B Rimmer is an assistant professor of experimental astrophysics at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. He works on questions of planetary astrochemistry, especially the question of how life may have originated on Earth and other planets. He leads a small group that designs chemical reactors with ultraviolet light sources made to mimic the light of the Sun and other stars. They use these reactors to measure and model the chemical kinetics of reactions that take place in the lab, and apply these models to planetary environments.

Oliver Shorttle

Oliver Shorttle is professor of natural philosophy jointly appointed between the Institute of Astronomy and Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He investigates the emergence and maintenance of planetary habitability, by combining observation, experiment, and theory. He is a steering committee member of the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe, and designed and leads the MPhil for Planetary Science and Life in the Universe at Cambridge.

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Steve Mojzsis

Stephen Mojzsis is research professor in geoastronomy and biogeodynamics at the Bavarian Geoinstitute (BGI) in Bayreuth, Germany. He is an Earth scientist who uses physical and chemical tools to understand the natural world. With research that is field-, laboratory-, experiment- and modeling-based, he explores the conditions that yield the planets we observe in our Solar System and beyond.

Organizer: Kevin Heng

Kevin Heng is professor of theoretical astrophysics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, and the holder of its Theoretical Astrophysics of Extrasolar Planets chair. He is the author of "Exoplanetary Atmospheres: Theoretical Concepts and Foundations" (Princeton University Press), which was recognised with the Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award of the American Astronomical Society. He is the recipient of two European Research Council (ERC) grants (Consolidator and Synergy).

General Format

  • Sunday:  Meet-and-greet from 3pm to 5pm.
  • Monday:  Full day of lectures (with coffee/tea breaks, lunch and dinner)
  • Tuesday:  Full day of lectures (with coffee/tea breaks, lunch and dinner)
  • Wednesday:  Half day of lectures and after-lunch excursion (ship ride on lake) or free afternoon
  • Thursday:  Workshop with invited talks from experts and contributed talks from participants
  • Friday:  Half day of contributed talks from participants and panel discussion
Venue conference room