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C. Leitherer (STScI)
The new generation of 8 to 10m class telescope is providing us with high-quality spectral information on the rest-frame ultraviolet region of star-forming galaxies at cosmological distances. The data can be used to address questions such as, e.g., the star-formation histories, the stellar initial mass function, the dust properties, and the energetics of the interstellar medium. These issues can be tackled by comparing the spectral properties of high-redshift galaxies to those in the local universe. I will discuss recent progress in the field of theoretical and empirical modeling of galaxy spectra which are dominated by recent star formation. The emphasis is on the youngest stellar populations with ages less than 100 Myr, but issues related to older stars will be addressed as well. Current uncertainties will be discussed, and areas where progress will most likely be made in the near future will be highlighted.