Presenter(s):
Stephen A Fuselier, Southwest Research Institute
Hantao Ji, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Bin Chen, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Yuxi Chen, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Hyunju Connor, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Jan Egedal, University of Wisconsin Madison

Primary Convener:
Jongsoo Yoo, Princeton University

This town hall meeting brings together leading experts to discuss the future of magnetic reconnection research and upcoming space missions and laboratory experiments. Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process that drives solar flares, geomagnetic storms, and energy transport in fusion plasmas. Understanding it is crucial for advancing space weather prediction, astrophysical modeling, and fusion energy development.Attendees will engage with top researchers as they outline the most pressing challenges in reconnection studies and explore groundbreaking opportunities. Topics will include recent experimental and observational advances, theoretical and numerical developments, and the role of emerging space missions such as TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) and next-generation facilities such as FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments) in shaping future research.The event will feature presentations, expert panel discussions, and an open forum for collaboration and idea exchange. By fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue, this town hall aims to define new research directions, promote mission-driven science, and accelerate discoveries that will transform our understanding of magnetic reconnection.Join us for a forward-looking discussion that will help shape the future of this critical field.