August 24–27, 2026 | Toronto, Canada
The LSST Discovery Alliance Catalyst Symposium brings together Catalyst Fellows, Catalyst Postdoc Alliance members, mentors, and the broader Rubin community for four days of scientific exchange, professional development, mentoring, and collaboration.
At a Glance
- Dates: August 24–27, 2026
- Location: Chestnut Conference Centre, University of Toronto
- Audience: Catalyst Fellows, Catalyst Postdoc Alliance members, mentors, and Rubin community members
- Format: Plenary sessions, hands-on workshops, career development, networking, and collaborative activities
Venue and Accommodations
The Symposium will be held at the Chestnut Conference Centre in downtown Toronto. A discounted room block is available at the Chelsea Hotel, located within walking distance of the venue.
Chelsea Hotel
33 Gerrard St W
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z4
Catalyst Symposium Goals
The goals of the third annual Catalyst Symposium are to:
- Give the astrophysics community the opportunity to learn about and potentially participate in the research and other activities being undertaken by Catalyst Fellows in astrophysics and the social sciences
- Strengthen networks and communication among the direct participants in the Catalyst Fellowship, Catalyst Postdoc Alliance and the broader Rubin LSST community; and
- Advance the training, mentoring, and community-impact goals of the Catalyst Fellowship project.
Program Highlights
The Symposium combines scientific presentations, professional development workshops, mentoring opportunities, networking activities, and collaborative hack-day sessions. Participants can expect:
- Research talks and plenaries
- Hands-on Rubin data and software tutorials
- Career development workshops
- Mentor networking sessions
- AI and alert-broker demonstrations
- Community-building and social events
Quick Links
The Catalyst Fellowship
The LSST Discovery Alliance Catalyst Fellowship funded by the John Templeton Foundation (the Catalyst Fellowship) is an innovative research fellowship that brings astronomers and social scientists together in a convergent, multi-disciplinary cohort of postdocs engaging with teams of mentors and other collaborators in the growing Rubin Observatory LSST science community. It invests in early-career astrophysicists who are well positioned to work with Big Data from Rubin LSST and to make exciting discoveries in the first years of LSST operations. It also supports early-career and senior social scientists conducting research on the practice of astrophysics in the era of Big Data. In addition to improving the practice of science, the Catalyst Fellowship strives to engage and train a diverse new generation of Fellows who will become experts in LSST’s capabilities–to help them to: do great LSST research, develop their leadership skills, and serve as community resources for years to come.
The Fellowship currently supports eight postdoctoral Fellows in astrophysics who are pursuing LSST-related science throughout three-to-four-year terms and two postdoctoral Fellows in the social sciences who will work collaboratively with the Fellows and the broader Rubin LSST community.
In 2025-2026, the Catalyst Fellowship also supports the LSST-DA Catalyst Postdoc Alliance. The Catalyst Postdoc Alliance supports a broad community of early career scholars from around the world with the potential to become leaders in the Rubin community, both through their scientific research and their commitment to the constructive and inclusive practice of science with big data.
LSST Discovery Alliance gratefully acknowledges the John Templeton Foundation for its support of the Catalyst Fellowship the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics. Thank you!
