  A detailed understanding of the physics of star and planet formation requires
study of individual objects as well as statistical assessment of global
properties and evolutionary trends. Observational investigations of
circumstellar material surrounding young stars have matured to the point that
both spectral energy distributions sampled over more than four decades in
wavelength and spatially resolved images or interferometric visibilities at
limited optical/infrared and sub-/millimeter wavelengths are becoming
available, though for few individual objects at present. Data on star/disk
systems combined with continuing surveys for exo-solar planets themselves will
lead to constraints on the likelihood and frequency of solar system formation.
An overarching goal of these pursuits is to connect what is observed elsewhere
with the history of our own solar solar system, and hence enhance our
appreciation of the uniqueness -- or lack thereof -- of the human circumstance.
