Nonequilibrium Physics – Current Trends and Future Perspectives

793. WE-Heraeus-Seminar

28 Aug - 01 Sep 2023

Where:

Physikzentrum Bad Honnef

Scientific organizers:

Prof. Dr. Martin Holthaus, U Oldenburg • Prof. Dr. Peter Reimann, U Bielefeld

The main focus of this WE-Heraeus Seminar will be on the question of how the characteristic dynamical and statistical properties of macroscopically large as well as relatively “small” systems can be deduced and understood from first principles, i.e., directly from the basic microscopic laws of physics. Within this general context, particular emphasis will be laid on the following three major current research directions.

  • Firstly, there is the long-standing problem whether and how isolated many-body systems approach thermal equilibrium. 
  • Secondly, for small (sub-)systems the question emerges how to describe random fluctuations in an adequate manner, and how to utilize them deliberately.
  • Thirdly, many-body systems driven out of equilibrium by time-periodic forcing may adopt unusual nonequilibrium steady states; the challenge is to “engineer” such states with specific, often topologically motivated properties.

The objective of this WE-Heraeus Seminar is to bring together leading experts with complementary views on these fundamental questions from a variety of different disciplines, such as statistical physics, solid state physics, mathematical stochastics, numerical computing, and quantum information theory.


The conference language will be English. The Wilhelm and Else Heraeus-Foundation bears the cost of full-board accommodation for all participants.