Navigating the Frontier of Non-Equilibrium Systems and Collective Phenomena

How do order, dynamics, and complexity emerge far from equilibrium? This two-day interdisciplinary workshop brings together researchers working on complex systems and far-from-equilibrium dynamics across physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and computational sciences.

Our workshop explores diverse approaches to understanding how structure, organization, and function emerge in driven, fluctuating and out-of-equilibrium systems. Topics span a wide range of physical and conceptual scales, from enzyme microreactors, colloidal assemblies, swarming particles and photocatalytic active matter to networked intelligent systems and quantum materials. The program covers nonlinear phenomena, statistical dependencies, self-assembly, collective motion, light-driven manipulation and strategies for prediction and control in complex environments. 

Our goal is to foster meaningful exchange between theorists, experimentalists and computational scientists, bridging diverse perspectives on non-equilibrium phenomena and complex collective behaviour. Invited talks will be complemented by open discussions, poster sessions and student presentations aimed at encouraging new connections, questions, and ideas across disciplinary boundaries.

Funding for this workshop was provided by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW) as part of the state program “Seizing Opportunities, Promoting Research and Family for Equal Opportunities at Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia.”