Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of Materials

研究者和他的同事们与自然哲学学会组织了一次会议，主题是“材料的数学建模和分析”。会议计划包括四个部分：truesdell讲座（由学会设立的著名讲座），六场资深研究人员的讲座，三场新近博士的讲座，以及一个关于未来方向的开放论坛。会议被广泛宣传，特别寻求研究生出席。特别鼓励研究生和年轻研究人员的参与，将预算的很大一部分用于支持他们的旅费。会议的主题涉及新型晶体和软物质系统中热、电和机械性能之间相互作用的数学和物理方面。涉及的系统包括铁电液晶和多晶体，以及弹性体。应用包括用于视频显示的电光开关，执行器，传感器和设计用于利用机电相互作用的微型泵。这些都是重要的最先进的应用，在他们的分析中提出了重大的数学挑战。演讲者是数学家和物理学家，他们展示了他们对这些系统的分析、建模和模拟的研究。强调了几个共同的主题。这些系统的自然环境以薄膜、细丝和细条的形式存在。一个主题是应用伽马收敛和紧凑技术来捕获低维模型。这些系统都具有具有许多亚稳定状态的复杂能量景观。第二个主要主题是介电和铁电在这些状态之间切换的确定性和随机研究。第三个主题是研究这些材料的流动。自然哲学学会会议历来是跨学科的努力，这种精神是本次会议的核心。会议向科学界发布了广告，演讲者名单包括物理学家和工程师。会议的一个目标是让学生和年轻的研究人员接触到这一领域的挑战和开放问题。这是通过支持这些人的旅行费用，邀请年轻的研究人员作为演讲者，以及举行关于未来方向的会议来实现的。

PhillipsDMS-0630496 The investigator and his colleagues organize a conferencewith the Society for Natural Philosophy on the topic,"Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of Materials." Theconference The conference program consists of four elements: theTruesdell lecture (a distinguished named lecture instituted bythe Society), six lectures by senior researchers, three lecturesgiven by recent Ph.D.s, and an open forum on future directions. The conference is widely advertised, specifically seekinggraduate student attendance. Participation of graduate studentsand young investigators is especially encouraged by devoting alarge component of the budget to supporting their travelexpenses. The conference themes address mathematical andphysical aspects of the interaction between thermal, electric,and mechanical properties in novel crystalline and soft mattersystems. The systems addressed include ferroelectric liquidcrystals and polycrystals, and elastomers. Applications includeelectro-optical switches for video displays, actuators, sensorsand miniature pumps designed to exploit electro-mechanicalinteractions. These are important state-of-the-art applicationsthat present significant mathematical challenges in theiranalyses. The speakers are mathematicians and physicists whopresent their research on analysis, modeling, and simulations forthese systems. Several common themes are highlighted. Thenatural setting for these systems is in the form of films,filaments, and thin strips. One theme is the application ofgamma-convergence and compactness techniques to capturelower-dimensional models. These systems all have complex energylandscapes with many meta-stable states. A second major theme isdeterministic and stochastic investigations of dielectric andferroelectric switching between such states. A third theme isthe investigation of flows in these materials. The Society for Natural Philosophy Conferences have ahistory of being cross-disciplinary endeavors and that spirit iscentral to this meeting. The conference is advertised to thescience community and the list of speakers includes physicistsand engineers. A goal of the conference is to expose studentsand young researchers to the challenges and open problems in thisarea. This is accomplished by supporting the travel expenses forthese people, having young researchers as speakers, and byholding a session on future directions.