Thermodynamics of Computation in Chemical and Biological Systems to be held August 14-16, 2017 at SFI

圣达菲研究所（SFI）的“化学和生物系统中的计算热力学”研讨会将探讨热力学和计算在约束生物过程，进化和新陈代谢中的作用。该研讨会将在两天半的时间内举行，调查热力学和计算之间的联系，包括各种主题：纯计算机科学，计算的统计力学，化学计算机，热力学和生物体的计算。这些主题的综合将是必要的，以更充分地理解计算热力学的一般特征。特别是，理解生命的计算和能量学的基本方面，明确要求处理每个列出的主题。一些研究生和博士后将参加会议，演讲和讨论将进一步加强他们的培训，并为他们的研究提供一系列新的合作和机会。SFI NSF REU的一名学生将在今年夏天共同指导一个专注于生物计算热力学的项目。此外，两个联合组织者将向公众和科学界介绍研讨会上讨论的新思想，研讨会将把统计物理、计算和生物化学计算机三个分支学科相互联系起来，试图为该领域提供更深层次的理论连贯性和联系。特别是，有必要迁移计算机科学和统计物理学工具，用于生物和化学计算机，反过来，使用生物和化学系统来激发新的理论问题和技术。

The workshop "Thermodynamics of computation in chemical and biological systems" at the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) will explore the role of both thermodynamics and computation in constraining biological processes, evolution, and metabolism. The workshop will be held over two-and-a-half days investigating the connection between thermodynamics and computation in a variety of topics including: pure computer science, the statistical mechanics of computation, chemical computers, the thermodynamics and computation of organisms. A synthesis of these topics will be necessary to more fully understand the general features of the thermodynamics of computation. In particular, understanding the fundamental aspects of the computations and energetics of life explicitly requires a treatment of each of the listed topics. Several graduate students and postdocs will participate in the meeting and the presentations and discussions will further their training and provide an array of new collaborations and opportunities for them in their research. An SFI NSF REU student will be co-mentored this summer on a project focused on the thermodynamics of biological computation. In addition, two of the co-organizers will present the new ideas discussed at the workshop to both the general public and scientific community.The workshop will connect three sub-disciplines - statistical physics, computation and biological and chemical computers - to each other in an attempt to provide the field with deeper theoretical coherence and connection. In particular, there is the need to migrate computer science and statistical physics tools for use in biological and chemical computers, and in turn, to use the biological and chemical systems to inspire new theoretical questions and techniques.