International Symposium on Stochastic Complex Systems
About the symposium
The International Symposium on Stochastic Complex Systems features critical work focused on non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. A core theme would be the out-of-equilibrium dynamical behavior of complex systems, specifically examining aging phenomena and dynamical scaling in disordered and driven systems, such as magnetic flux lines in superconductors. Additionally, the symposium would address the role of stochasticity in pattern formation and non-equilibrium phase transitions, including the mathematical modeling of spatially extended stochastic population dynamics, to understand how noise and spatial structure influence persistence and emerging patterns in ecological models.
We will celebrate the research achievements and the 60th birthday of Prof. Michel Pleimling at this event. The symposium will serve as the major annual event of the Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics in 2026.
Invited Speakers
- Nasrin Afzal (Genmab, NJ, USA)
- Christian Binek (Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA)
- Shengfeng Cheng (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
- Andrés Concha (Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile)
- Jason Czak (James Madison, VA, USA)
- Ulrich Dobramysl (Oxford, UK)
- Shadi Esmaeili-Wellman (Fred Hutch Cancer Center, WA, USA)
- Andrea Gambassi (SISSA, Italy)
- Claude Godrèche (Paris-Saclay, France)
- Malte Henkel (Lorraine, France)
- Ferenc Igloi (KFKI Budapest, Hungary)
- Ben Intoy (Deloitte, NY, USA)
- Wolfhard Janke (Leipzig, Germany)
- Nadir Kaplan (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
- Hildegard Meyer-Ortmanns (Constructor, Germany)
- Mauro Mobilia (Leeds, UK)
- Kevin Pitts (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
- Yannick Pleimling (Stanford, CA, USA)
- Priyanka (Tel Aviv, Israel)
- Uwe Täuber (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
- Royce Zia (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
8:30 - 9:00 Welcome, TBD
9:00– 9:10 Opening, John Simonetti (Physics Associate Chair, Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
9:10 – 9:45 Kevin Pitts (Dean, College of Science, Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
9:45 – 10:20 Malte Henkel (University of Lorraine, France) - Zoom
10:20 – 10:50 Coffee Break
10:50– 11:25 Uwe Täuber (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
11:25 – 12:00 Priyanka (Tel Aviv University, Israel) - Zoom
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 2:05 Ulrich Dobramysl (Oxford University, UK) - Zoom
2:05 – 2:40 Christian Binek (University of Nebraska - Lincoln, NE, USA)
2:40 – 3:15 Ferenc Igloi (KFKI Budapest, Hungary) - Zoom
3:15 – 4:30 Poster Session and Coffee Break
4:30 – 5:05 Andrés Concha (Adolf Ibáñez University, Chile)
5:05– 5:40 Shadi Esmaeili-Wellman (Fred Hutch Cancer Center, WA, USA)
5:40 – 6:15 Yannick Pleimling (Stanford University, CA, USA) - Zoom
6:30 – 8:45 Reception and Dinner
8:30 – 8:35 Opening, TBD
8:35 – 9:10 Andrea Gambassi (SISSA, Italy) – Zoom
9:10 – 9:45 Hildegard Meyer–Ortmanns (Constructor University, Germany) - Zoom
9:45 – 10:20 Claude Godrèche – (University of Paris Saclay, France) - Zoom
10:20 – 10:50 Coffee Break
10:50– 11:25 Wolfhard Janke (University of Leipzig, Germany) - Zoom
11:25 – 12:00 Nasrin Afzal (Genmab, NJ, USA) - Zoom
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 2:05 Mauro Mobilia (University of Leeds, UK) - Zoom
2:05 – 2:40 Jason Czak (James Madison University, VA, USA)
2:40 – 3:10 Coffee Break
3:10 – 3:45 Royce Zia (Virginia Tech, VA, USA) - Zoom
3:45 – 4:20 Ben Intoy (Deloitte, NY, USA)
4:20 – 4:55 Nadir Kaplan (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
4:55 – 5:30 TBD
5:30 – 6:05 Shengfeng Cheng (Virginia Tech, VA, USA)
6:30 Group Dinner
Poster Session Friday, May 22, at 3:15 - 4:30
Sponsors
