Workshop Chair
Dervis Can Vural, University of Notre Dame
Organizing Committee
Walter Bortz, Stanford University
L. Mahadevan, Harvard University
James Sethna, Cornell University
Pinar Zorlutuna, University of Notre Dame
Synopsis
Nearly every complex system fails. Biological organisms, complex
machines, materials, buildings, social and economic structures all
loose their integrity gradually, and eventually fall apart with a
sudden catastrophe. Aging is a complex phenomenon that spans multiple
time and length scales. Therefore a fundamental understanding of aging
must necessarily take into account factors beyond microscopic building
blocks, (such as the molecular bonds in a failing material or cells in
a failing organ) to explain how failure cascades from microscopic to
macroscopic length scales.
The central goals of the workshop are to 1.
work towards general laws of aging and failure, by generalizing the
conclusions drawn from specific mechanisms taking place in specific
systems; 2. to identify quantifiable, testable questions on how living
and nonliving systems age and fail; 3. to establish commonalities and
differences between engineered, physical, social and biological aging
and failure; 4. to bring the languages of engineering reliability,
aging biology, molecular biophysics and statistical mechanics together,
i.e. to set up the foundations of a translation table between aging and
failure in living, material/physical, social and engineered systems; 5.
to understand how aging can be controlled and manipulated;
specifically, to determine if the principles of repair in engineered
systems can be applied to biological aging and to determine if
biological self-repair can inspire more robust engineered systems and
materials; 6. to lay forth the current theoretical understanding of the
dynamics underlying aging and failure.
Acknowledgement
This workshop has been supported by the National Science Foundation Physics of Living Systems and University of Notre Dame.
Time Table (Tentative)
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Attendees
Robert Austin, Princeton University (Slides)
Annette Baudisch, Max Planck Institute
Walter Bortz, Stanford University
Lloyd Demetrius, Harvard University
Walter Fontana, Harvard University (Slides)
Leonard Guarente, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Leonard Hayflick, University of California, San Francisco (Slides)
L. Mahadevan, Harvard University
Keith March, Indiana University
Mohammad Modarres, University of Maryland (Slides)
Vamsi Mootha, Harvard University
Arvind Murugan, University of Chicago (Slides)
Sidney Redner, Santa Fe Institute (Slides)
Shmuel Rubinstein, Harvard University
James Sethna, Cornell University
Ashivni Shekhawat, University of California, Berkeley (Slides)
Nicholas Stroustrup, Harvard University
Dervis Can Vural, University of Notre Dame (Slides)
Amy Wager, Harvard University
Pinar Zorlutuna, University of Notre Dame
Workshop Administrator
Elizabeth Kuhn
Contact E-mail: ekuhn1@nd.edu
Abbreviated Schedule
May 15 Sunday
6pm, Informal Reception (Graffon Street Pub)
May 16, Monday
8-5:30 pm, Workshop Talks (Harvard Gutman Center)
6:30 Socialization and Dinner (Rialto Restaurant)
May 17, Tuesday
8-5:45pm, Workshop Talks (Harvard Guttman Center)
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