Most of the light produced by stars at high redshift reaches us in the (far) infrared. This radiation is referred to as the cosmic infrared background (CIB) and is emitted primarily by dusty, star-forming galaxies. Embedded in the CIB is the history of star formation, dust production, and the growth of large scale structures (LSS).

On the footsteps of Spitzer, but at longer wavelengths, two major joint ESA/NASA satellites, Herschel and Planck recently released their first measurements of the CIB anisotropies. These measurements are an order of magnitude deeper and wider than previous ones. They are literally revolutionizing the field. Even better observations and analysis are on the way and setting the stage for the next generation of ground-based experiments. However, to fulfill the scientific promises of these new observations is still challenging.

The three-day school followed by a two-day workshop we propose aims at stimulating a community wide efforts to develop the new conceptual tools required to make the best of these new observations. Our meeting will gather students and researchers covering the broad expertise required by this field. We expect this meeting to open new research directions ultimately leading to original insights regarding the formation of stars at high redshift and more generally the relation between light and matter.

We hope to see you there.