The Simons Collaboration on Extreme Electrodynamics of Compact Sources (SCEECS) is organizing a summer school on “Plasmas Around Black Holes and Neutron Stars,” to be held on July 27–August 7, 2026, at the Institute of Astronomy, UNAM, in Baja California, Mexico.

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SCEECS is a Simons Collaboration in Mathematics and Physical Sciences involving researchers from 16 institutions. Our goals are to explore extreme electrodynamics through neutron stars and black holes using theory, simulation, and observation; to educate and foster a new and diverse generation of researchers with translatable skills and experience; to build connections with scientists working in related fields; and to engage in far-reaching public outreach.

The goal of this school is to provide beginning researchers with the theoretical foundations necessary to study astrophysical plasmas. The two-week summer school includes lectures on a diverse set of subjects related to plasma physics (basic fluid theory and kinetic theory of plasmas, observations of black holes and neutron stars, particle acceleration, black hole accretion and jets, neutron star magnetospheres, cosmic rays, space plasmas, and fusion plasmas).

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Between the two weeks of the school, we are planning a visit (with a two-night stay) to the National Observatory of Mexico in San Pedro Mártir, located about a four-hour drive from Ensenada. During the visit, students will be able to connect several of the school’s topics to observational strategies and gain a firsthand understanding of how astronomical observations are conducted. The summer school will also feature a tutorial on observational techniques for high-energy astrophysics and a tutorial session on outreach. There will be panel discussions on career development and poster sessions in which students are encouraged to present their research.