Nobel Evenings 2021

Dr. Deepak Dhar’s talk on November 21, 2021, highlighted Nobel laureate Giorgio Parisi's contributions to understanding complex systems. Dr. Dhar discussed Parisi’s work on the DGLAP equation, spin glasses, and "Broken Ergodicity," explaining how systems with many energy minima don't always reach the same state. He also covered the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation, which models surface growth and non-equilibrium phenomena like traffic jams. Dr. Dhar concluded by addressing Parisi’s research on stochastic resonance, explaining how noise can amplify signals, offering insights into climate variation. Parisi’s work has significantly impacted statistical physics, protein folding, climate science, and computer science. 

Dr. Ramakrishna G. Bhat delivered a talk on November 20, 2021, focusing on the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan for their contributions to asymmetric organocatalysis. Dr. Bhat explained the significance of chirality in molecules, citing examples like R-limonene (oranges) and S-limonene (lemons). He discussed how asymmetric catalysis became essential due to challenges with inorganic catalysts and enzymes. Dr. Bhat highlighted List's groundbreaking work with proline in the aldol reaction and MacMillan's development of a selective Diels-Alder reaction. He emphasized the role of organocatalysis in sustainable chemistry, essential for modern drug development and organic synthesis.