This volume presents the results of the AMS-IMS-SIAM Joint Summer Research Conference held at the University of Washington (Seattle). The talks were devoted to various aspects of the theory of algebraic curves over finite fields and its numerous applications. The three basic themes are the following: Curves with many rational points. Several articles describe main approaches to the construction of such curves: the Drinfeld modules and fiber product methods, the moduli space approach, and the constructions using classical curves; Monodromy groups of characteristic $p$ covers. A number of authors presented the results and conjectures related to the study of the monodromy groups of curves over finite fields. In particular, they study the monodromy groups from genus $0$ covers, reductions of covers, and explicit computation of monodromy groups over finite fields; and, Zeta functions and trace formulas.To a large extent, papers devoted to this topic reflect the contributions of Professor Bernard Dwork and his students. This conference was the last attended by Professor Dwork before his death, and several papers inspired by his presence include commentaries about the applications of trace formulas and $L$-function. The volume also contains a detailed introduction paper by Professor Michael Fried, which helps the reader to navigate in the material presented in the book.