Partial Order in Materials: at the Triple Point of Mathematics, Physics and Applications (17w5059)
The Banff International Research Station will host the "Partial Order in Materials: at the Triple Point of Mathematics, Physics and Applications" workshop from November 26th to December 1st, 2017. Partially ordered materials are classes of materials that are intermediate between the solid and liquid phases of matter. Liquid crystals and complex fluids, superconductors, polymers, glassy matter and even the cell cytoskeleton and bacterial suspensions are some classic examples of partially ordered systems. The theory and applications of partially ordered systems raises new cutting-edge mathematical questions that can have far-reaching impact for materials science and nano-technology. Recent years have seen a tremendous surge in the number of analysts, PDE experts and mathematical modellers working on liquid crystals, superconductors, micromagnetics, theory of colloids and active matter, along with the connections between these seemingly different fields. However, a lot of open questions remain, both at the analytical level and and on how the theory and analysis can be applied to new experiments and applications. This workshop brings together researchers working on analytical, numerical and experimental methods for solids, fluid dynamics and materials from different disciplines to formulate new interdisciplinary strategies for open problems and future challenges in this rapidly evolving field. The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).
