Each year, ESF supports approximately 50 Exploratory Workshops across all scientific domains. These small, interactive group sessions are aimed at opening up new directions in research to explore new fields with a potential impact on developments in science. The workshops, which usually last 1-3 days, have a wide participation from across Europe and involve mature scientists as well as young, independent researchers and scholars with leadership potential. This workshop brought together 24 renowned experimental and theoretical physicists from 9 European countries (Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and United Kingdom) and 2 scientists from the United States to discuss key issues related to nuclear equation of state (EOS). Understanding compact star properties and the dynamics of supernova explosions essentially relies on our knowledge of the nuclear equation of state. The contemporary insight into the EOS is limited largely due to our poor knowledge of the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy. The aim of this workshop is to launch an international project, which would encourage extensive research aimed at further constraining the value of the symmetry energy at high densities.

This initiative enables equal participation of Croatian scientists in the launch of a wide international collaboration, as well as facilitated access to advanced equipment and major research facilities with minimal participation in the costs of extremely expensive measurement equipment.

The ESF Exploratory workshop is supported by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics and the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt.