Over the years, my research has been focused on different subjects, but always following a thread around my research interests, which fortunately are many more than the research activities that I am able to be involved in. The transitions between subjects have been triggered by e.g. funding resources, collaborations, time, etc but they always kept the thread as much as possible. In Spain, usually, research groups are formed by one or more professors, and some associate and assistant professors, together with -sometimes- a postdoc, and several graduate students. Rarely an assistant professor (or even an associate professor) leads a group. At some time in my career (around 2002), I decided to form a group (GMM), the history of which is summarized below. Nevertheless, due to the thread, I discussed above, in this website I am extending the history to earlier times and to further objectives than the original GMM group had.

Originally, GMM stood for ``Grupo de Materiales Mesoestructurados'' (mesostructured materials group). The initial conditions for GMM were a couple of young associate professors, which were willing to change their research field, and a graduate student. We had no budget for this new (for us) research field; so we were interested in cheap, but interesting problems of Materials Science & Soft-Condensed Matter. The main reason for me to start with research in this field was the submission for publication of the textbook "An Introduction to Materials Science" to Princeton University Press.

Currently, things have evolved and we are the Complex Systems Laboratory at UNAV, but our budget is still small in the materials science standards. So, we have to manage with imagination and creativity, looking for ideas and techniques available to us. Indeed, we like this situation. It is true that sometimes it is necessary to look at something with a S.E.M. (for example). We fix those problems easily because we have very good friends and collaborators. Usually, we keep active research collaborations with the friends who also support our technical needs.

Our previous expertise comes from non-linear physics (pattern formation, spatio-temporal chaos, hydrodynamics, topological defects, non-linear waves, non-linear optics). Experimental physics is our point of view. Now we are getting nice expertise in Soft-Condensed Matter (mainly in Breath Figures and in colloids), but always would like to be in a position like this, in order to learn every day new things of complex systems.

Although our main objective lies on experiments, always it is very necessary to have a good theoretical background. Theory also is interesting to us in order to have a positive feedback.

Nowadays, the financial crisis in which Spain is immersed makes us to come back to (cheaper) previous lines of research (cosmology in the lab.) and to undergo new ones (e.g. active matter, biophysics or medical physics).

To join our Complex Systems Lab. at UNAV (or to collaborate with us) there are the following possibilities (please, also have a look into the currently open positions):

Graduate Research Opportunities

We can offer a variety of graduate student research opportunities. These positions are mainly for students who would like to do a PhD., or a research stage at our laboratory.

Applicants should come from a MSc. in Physics or related areas. Students interested to enroll in this graduate program to do a PhD. with us should contact us at csl-at-unav@googlegroups.com

It is possible to apply for a scholarship (with partial teaching assistantship) from the "Association of Friends of University of Navarra" among other scholarships which can be applied by the students.

If you are only interested in doing a research stage, please contact Prof. W. González-Viñas. This can be done also through a already existing bilateral agreements or by other means.

In all the cases the research subjects could be across several fields related to Physics. If you have other ideas, please do not hesitate in contacting us.

Postdoctoral Research Opportunities

Postdoctoral researchers are invited to apply for a grant from public or private institutions. Required education includes a Ph.D. in Physics or related areas. The successful candidates will participate to and interact with our multidisciplinary research projects. Also required are strong writing, organizational and communications skills. Applicants should send curriculum vitae, publication list, short description of research interests, and names of three references to us.

Collaborative Research Opportunities

We welcome new colleagues who would like to discuss collaborative opportunities (as well as new ideas) with us.

Collaborative Opportunities with Companies

Companies also are welcome to establish any kind of collaboration with us. Please do not hesitate in contacting us.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

If you are interested in a semester-long or summer project in our lab., please contact us. This can be done through an already existing bilateral agreement or by other means.

Si eres estudiante de la Universidad de Navarra, y quieres ser alumno/a interno/a en nuestro laboratorio, por favor contacta directamente con el Prof. W. González-Viñas.