Organizers: Adam Burrows, Sean McWilliams, Brian Metzger, Frans Pretorius, David Spergel, Anatoly Spitkovsky, Paul Steinhardt

It is anticipated that within the next few years the first direct detection of gravitational waves will be made with advanced networks of ground based interferometers including LIGO and Virgo.  Because some gravitational wave events may be accompanied by transient electromagnetic counterparts, coordination between electromagnetic and gravitational wave observers will be critical to maximize the scientific return from these discoveries. In addition, theoretical models and data analysis strategies must already be in place before the gravitational wave observatories observe first "light".

The goal of the workshop will be to bring together a small group of researchers, including key members of the detector experiments, observational and theoretical astronomers, and numerical relativists, for an informal discussion of how to maximize the science from "multi-messenger" gravitational wave astronomy.