On April 15-16, 2016, the Breakthrough Initiatives will hold its inaugural Breakthrough Discuss workshop at Stanford University.

Breakthrough Discuss is a gathering of some of the brightest minds interested in the scientific exploration of space.

Each year’s workshop, held over two full days as well as an evening event, addresses emerging and novel trends in the world of science. This year’s event falls on ‘Yuri’s night’ (April 15), the annual celebration of Yuri Gagarin’s first space flight and humanity’s achievements and future in space.

It will be hosted by Yuri Milner, founder of the Breakthrough Initiatives, and its chairman, Pete Worden. It will focus on the following three core sessions:

• Session One: Optical SETI and detectability of directed energy systems
  Chaired by Jill Tarter
• Session Two: An exo-planet detection program focused on Alpha Centauri
  Chaired by Olivier Guyon
• Session Three: Gravitational lens missions
  Chaired by Avi Loeb