Liquid Crystals, Elastomers and Biological Applications Special Interest Group
Organisers:
Dr Apala Majumdar, University of Bath, UK
and
Prof. Nigel Mottram, University of Strathclyde, UK
The SIG on “Liquid Crystals, Elastomers and Biological Applications”
is based on the mathematical theories and modelling of liquid crystals
or more generally, partially ordered materials and soft matter
systems, with emphasis on new materials, new technologies and
biomathematics e.g. active liquid crystals, cellular biology etc.
Liquid crystals are classical examples of partially ordered materials
with physical properties intermediate between those of conventional
solids and liquids. They exhibit unique electromagnetic and optical
responses, with a wealth of physical phenomena and new technological
applications. Of fundamental theoretical interest is the underlying
physics and the self-organizing mechanisms present in such partially
ordered materials and there is typically a common mathematical
structure that can be exploited for theoretical advances in liquid
crystals and related materials. The key aims of this SIG are (i)
advances in basic theory for partially ordered materials, (ii)
minimalistic models for biological systems with partial order or
liquid crystalline characteristics and (iii) development of new links
between academia and industry. This SIG presently has scientific
links with leading research groups in the UK, Italy, Slovenia, China
and North America. The SIG organizers are always keen to welcome new
members and hope to organize a focussed SIG-workshop in 2016.