"NUCLEI 2026: Galaxy Nuclei – Diversity, Dynamics, and Hidden Mass in Galactic Centers"

The nuclear regions of galaxies display a rich structural and dynamical diversity, including nuclear star clusters (NSCs), intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), and supermassive black holes (SMBHs) spanning a wide range of accretion states. Observations have revealed that some ultra-compact dwarfs (UCDs) are likely the stripped remnants of more massive galaxies retaining massive central black holes. Dynamical measurements in compact, low-luminosity galaxies have extended black hole mass estimates into previously inaccessible regimes. The workshop focuses primarily on quiescent and non-accreting galactic nuclei, addressing questions such as: under what conditions do NSCs and black holes co-exist or compete; how AGN activity influences the creation or survival of an NSC; how common are IMBHs in dwarf galaxies; and how many SMBHs remain hidden in stripped galactic cores. Main topics: Intermediate-Mass Black Holes (IMBHs); Nuclear Star Clusters (NSCs); Stripped Galactic Nuclei and Ultra-Compact Dwarfs (UCDs); Observational Pathways to Black Holes in Quiescent and Active Nuclei; The Next Decades of Galaxy Nuclei Science.