This is a biennial course.
This course provides an overview of theoretical concepts and tools used in contemporary research into the dynamics of interacting many-body systems. These will primarily be treated with reference to condensed matter systems driven out of equilibrium, but the relevance of the analytical techniques beyond physics (e.g. to population dynamics) will also be discussed. Upon successful completion of this course, it is intended that a student will be able to: explain the origins of stochastic dynamics and entropy production in physical systems, construct a stochastic mathematical model, such as a Boltzmann, Fokker-Planck or Langevin equation, appropriate for a given nonequilibrium system and explain how different formulations are related, write a computational algorithm to solve simple stochastic equations, such as a Fokker- Planck or Langevin equation, show how mesoscopic and macroscopic equations of motion emerge from more fundamental descriptions, analyse stochastic equations of motion to obtain predictions for emergent phenomena in nonequilibrium systems, such as fluctuationdissipation relations, phase transitions and aging, evaluate the appropriateness of stochastic modelling approaches with reference to current research in physics and other disciplines.
Assessment: Peer-to-peer teaching
Hours Equivalent Credit: 12
