ESPRESSO is a new, high resolution ultra stable spectrograph for the ESO VLT telescopes. ESPRESSO is being built by an international consortium where IA is playing a crucial role. Expected to have first light in 2017, ESPRESSO will have unique characteristics that will allow to tackle in a unique way a number of scientific problems.

The two main science cases of the ESPRESSO consortium include the search and characterization for rocky planets orbiting nearby stars and the study of the variability of fundamental constants. However, ESPRESSO will allow to serve several other scientific problems that are strategic within IA. In this context, the ESPRESSO day@IA meeting has the goal of presenting to all IA members:

• The ESPRESSO project, including the main technical aspects of the instrument;
• The major science cases of the ESPRESSO Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO) program;
• The opportunities that ESPRESSO will open to other scientific domains (within and outside of the GTO)

SOC
Nuno C. Santos
Pedro Figueira
Sérgio Sousa

LOC
Elsa Silva
Paulo Peixoto