Title: Hadronization and chirality in strongly interacting partonic matter: the future of the RHIC heavy ion program ---------------------------------------------------------- Abstract: I will discuss the recent success in measuring the creation of strongly interacting partonic matter above the critical temperature (Tc) for Quark Gluon Plasma formation. I will show how questions regarding the relevant degrees of freedom above Tc and the hadronization mechanisms of the partonic matter, shape the future program of RHIC. I will argue that in order to shed light on very fundamental questions, such as how hadrons acquire mass and whether chirality is restored above the critical temperature, RHIC-II, the new high luminosity upgrade of RHIC, is ideally suited to provide unique answers, if a new detector concept can be realized for the next decade.