Diffuse interstellar bands: The way forward

Abstract

Rather than a summary of the conference, I present here an overview of the status of the field and our progress over the last two decades from the points of view of astronomy, molecular physics, spectroscopy, and astrochemistry. While at first sight, progress may seem slow, actually, we have made an important stride forward. We have recognized now that the problem is very complex and identifying the carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands will require a concerted effort of astronomers, molecular physicists, spectroscopists, and astrochemists. While this is a daunting prospect, we have identified the tools that we need to make this happen. Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2014.