SLAM symposium on Active Solids - June 4th 2024

We hosted a symposium on Active Solids on June 4th. While active matter research has mostly focused on active fluids over the past two decades, the physics of active solids has only recently started to emerge as one of the most conceptually involved and technologically promising challenge for the years to come. How is energy dissipated in the absence of motion? Are active solids inherently unstable? Can their instabilities, topological defects, fluctuations etc. be harnessed to achieve mechanical functionalities in microfabricated devices? The goal of this symposium is to delineate future challenges in the study of active solids from living instances to applications, and foster collaborations.

Invited talks by

Jennifer Schwarz (Syracuse), Alexandre Kabla (Cambridge), Michael Lerch (Groningen), Gijsje Koenderink (Delft), Corentin Coulais (Amsterdam), Martin van Hecke (Leiden).

Program

09:30-09:50 -- Welcome and coffee
09:50-10:00 -- Introduction by Luca Giomi
10:00-10:50 -- Alexandre Kabla
10:50-11:40 -- Gijsje Koenderink
11:40-12:40 -- Lunch
12:40-13:30 -- Jennifer Schwarz
13:30-14:20 -- Corentin Coulais
14:40-15:30 -- Michael Lerch
15:30-16:20 -- Martin van Hecke
16:20-17:30 -- Borrel

When? June 4th 2024
Where? Leiden Academy Building, Leiden City Center

Many thanks to the speakers and all participants for contributing to a rich day with stimulating discussions! Warm thanks to Fran Ouwerkerk who assisted in organizing this symposium!