Abstracts 2025/26
Abstracts Term 1
13 October 2025: Luke Davis (University of Edinburgh)
Title: Stochastic geometry of active (living) matter
Abstract: Living and biological systems are typically found in, or are proximal to, nonequilibrium environments. Indeed, much of this nonequilibriumness arises from the energy conversion of individual constituents which, when coupled with many-body interactions, results in striking collective behaviour. Such systems are the focus of a growing field of statistical physics called active matter. As one can imagine, the far-from-equilibrium behaviour of active matter presents several serious challenges to the equilibrium framework of thermodynamics. Here, in an effort to bridge these problems, we explore (for the first time) the stochastic geometry of active matter. This stochastic geometry, e.g., the averaged room to accommodate another sphere, relates exactly to the equation of state for equilibrium hard spheres. We here extend this idea to active systems by analysing the insertion space for repulsive active particles in one and two dimensions using both on- and off-lattice models. In 1D we derive closed-form expressions for the mean insertion cavity size, cavity number, and total insertion volume, all in excellent agreement with simulations. Strikingly, activity increases the total insertion volume and tends to keep the insertion space more connected. These results provide the first quantitative foundation for the stochastic geometry of active matter, and opens up a new route to building a thermodynamics of active and living systems.
Refs: Insertion space in repulsive active matter, L. K. Davis & K. Proesmans arXiv 2509.08131 (2025)
20 October 2025: Jonathan Potts (University of Sheffield)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
27 October 2025: Mrinal Kanti Pal (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, India)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
03 November 2025: Ruth Bowness (University of Bath)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
10 November 2025: Vashti Alonso Chavez (Rothamsted Research)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
17 November 2025: Diana Meza (University of Warwick)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
17 November 2025: Steve Wu (University of Warwick)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
17 November 2025: Elliot Vincent (University of Warwick)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
24 November 2025: Caroline Trotter (University of Cambridge)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
1 December 2025: Leon Danon (University of Bristol)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
8 December 2025: Freya Bull (UCL)
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC