Studying Magnetic Fields in Star Formation and the Turbulent
  Interstellar Medium
  Understanding the physics of how stars form is a highly-prioritized goal of
modern Astrophysics, in part because star formation is linked to both galactic
dynamics on large scales and to the formation of planets on small scales. It is
well-known that stars form from the gravitational collapse of molecular clouds,
which are in turn formed out of the turbulent interstellar medium. Star
formation is highly inefficient, with one of the likely culprits being the
regulation against gravitational collapse provided by magnetic fields.
Measurement of the polarized emission from interstellar dust grains, which are
partially aligned with the magnetic field, provides a key tool for
understanding the role these fields play in the star formation process. Over
the past decade, much progress has been made by the most recent generation of
polarimeters operating over a range of wavelengths (from the far-infrared
through the millimeter part of the spectrum) and over a range of angular
resolutions (from less than an arcsecond through fractions of a degree). Future
developments in instrument sensitivity for ground-based, airborne, and
space-borne polarimeters operating over range of spatial scales are critical
for enabling revolutionary steps forward in our understanding of the magnetized
turbulence from which stars are formed.
