The Formation and Evolution of Accreting Binaries: Insight from
Multiwavelength Observations of Galaxies Both Near and Far!

X-ray emission from accreting binary systems (X-ray binaries) provides
a unique signature of the binary phase of stellar evolution and
compact object populations (neutron stars and black holes).  Through
detailed X-ray and multiwavelength observations (e.g., from Chandra,
Hubble, Spitzer, and other telescopes) of both nearby and distant
galaxies, I am working on obtaining a more complete picture of how
stars and compact objects formed and evolved throughout the history of
the Universe.  I will present ongoing and planned observational
efforts to characterize (1) how the formation of X-ray binary
populations in nearby galaxies is linked to the physical properties of
the galaxies themselves (e.g., galaxy morphology, star-formation
activity, stellar mass, stellar age, and metallicity); and (2) how
X-ray binary populations evolved over the last 12 billion years of
cosmic history (since z ~ 4) in response to significant changes in the
physical properties of their host galaxies.  I will highlight how
forthcoming and archival observations, future multiwavelength
telescopes, and binary population synthesis modeling will provide a
powerful blend of resources for improving our understanding of X-ray
binaries and compact objects.