Program

Gravitation and cosmology allow us to probe the nature of the universe at its largest scales and gain insights into the underlying structure and dynamics of the universe. New observational techniques in the field of cosmology have allowed us to estimate various cosmological parameters with remarkable precision. Recent advancements in observational techniques have revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Some of these techniques include Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Observations, Large-Scale Structure Surveys, Supernova Cosmology, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), Gravitational Lensing, Redshift Surveys etc. These techniques have collectively allowed cosmologists to estimate parameters such as the Hubble constant, the density of dark matter and dark energy, the curvature of space and the composition of the universe with remarkable accuracy.The third Indian Association for General Relativity and Gravitation (IAGRG) school on Gravitation and Cosmology aims to train young re...

All physical phenomena in areas such as physics, engineering, finance, and biology are inherently nonlinear and therefore described via models of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). The Navier-Stokes and the Euler equations are thought to be the fundamental set of equations governing the motion of fluid flow. Recently, the research area related to fluid flow equations  has witnessed multiple seminal new results and groundbreaking techniques. The main aim of the program is to bring in leading researchers from the field of fluid mechanics for an active discussion on these new techniques and exchange of ideas. In his celebrated 1949 paper on statistical hydrodynamics Lars Onsager conjectured that the threshold regularity for the validity of energy conservation of weak solutions to Euler equations is the exponent 1/3. In particular he announced that for larger Hölder exponents any weak solution would conserve the energy, whereas for any smaller exponent there are solutions whi...

Chromatin is a long polymer in which the genetic code is intricately arranged in 4D (space and time). Beyond the DNA sequence, the epigenetic state and 3D organization of chromatin dictate the gene regulation in a spatio-temporal manner.The study of chromatin is at a juncture where recent advances in genomics, high-resolution microscopy, and single-cell level measurements have made it possible to understand the underlying principles behind this complex organization and gene regulation.Integrating this diverse information into a coherent understanding requires multi-disciplinary expertise, and this meeting aims to facilitate such cross-talks between specialists from different fields. Discussions during the meeting on novel experimental observations and phenomenology, along with physical principles and data-driven methods, are expected to benefit the diverse community interested in chromatin.The first week will be a pedagogical workshop that will cover diverse experimental and theoretica...

This advanced level school is the fifteenth in the series and will be organized jointly by the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) and the Raman Research Institute (RRI).This is a pedagogical school, aimed at bridging the gap between masters-level courses and topics in statistical physics at the frontline of current research. It is intended for Ph.D. students, post-doctoral fellows and interested faculty members at the college and university level. The following courses will be offered.1) Bruno Loureiro - Statistical Physics of Machine Learning (Online)2) Deepak Dhar - Introduction to Percolation Theory3) Massimiliano Esposito - Macroscopic Stochastic Thermodynamics4) Gregory Falkovich - Information Theory5) Prabha Mandayam - Bell's Inequalities and Quantum Entanglement6) P. K. Mohanty - Exact steady states: Matrix product ansatz and other methodsEligibility: Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members who are working in the related field.ICTS is committe...

In recent years, the AdS/CFT correspondence has led to a paradigm shift in the quest for a theory of quantum gravity. In this new approach, spacetime and gravity are viewed not as fundamental, but as emergent descriptions of the dynamics of quantum information in an underlying, microscopic quantum system. The resulting theory has led to a novel confluence between two different subjects, namely general relativity and quantum information theory. This confluence has enriched both the subjects. On the one hand, tools from quantum information theory such as quantum error correction have led to ground-breaking progress on long-standing problems in quantum gravity such as the black hole information paradox. On the other hand, black hole physics has led to fundamental insights on information scrambling in chaotic quantum systems.Quantum information theory has also provided a new window into the rich world of quantum field theories and many-body dynamics. Fundamental inequalities governing the ...

The area of geometric group theory (GGT) has seen explosive growth in recent times, thanks to a series of important breakthroughs and its connections to diverse areas like geometry, topology, dynamics, analysis, and probability.This collaborative workshop has two aims: 1) to increase exposure to active areas in geometric group theory for mathematicians in India, and 2) strengthening the existing research network. The first week consists of minicourses by eminent researchers known for their exposition, while the second week will follow a “research in groups” format with each group being led by a minicourse speaker.   Eligibility criteria Week 1: PhD students and researchers interested in GGT related areasWeek 2: advanced PhD students and early career mathematicians actively working in GGT related areasMinicourse speakers:Indira Chatterji (Université Côte d'Azur à Nice) - Property(T), median spaces and CAT(0) cubical complexesInhyeok Choi (KIAS) - Growth of (sub)groups with hyperbolicity...

This meeting will focus on recent developments exploring emergent electronic, magnetic, and topological phenomena in two-dimensional synthetic structures of quantum materials. The strong interplay between electronic correlations, spin orbit coupling, crystal structure, symmetry, and topology often leads to various collective phenomena in bulk crystals. With reduced dimensionality, the frustrated coupling across 2D interfaces or enhanced interlayer interactions between different quantum materials can lead to new electronic band structures (e.g., flat bands) and to host emergent behaviour which are unattainable otherwise in the constituent bulk systems.This workshop will bring together physicists and materials scientists interested in artificially engineered heterostructures including oxide interfaces, oxide heterostructures, twisted van der Waals materials, twisted cuprates, and other novel moire or layered materials. The participants will have complementary experimental and theoretical...

Our world is changing! Natural habitats are being degraded at an unprecedented rate. In addition to known threats to biodiversity, this habitat change also paves the way for emerging infections that can cause serious public health concerns. Have you ever wondered how change in biodiversity is linked to human health and well-being? And how biodiversity changes can alter natural transmission cycles of pathogens? If so, this course is for you. Disease ecology integrates theories from many scientific disciplines (e.g., ecology, evolution, mathematics, etc.) to understand how ecological and environmental processes influence the distribution, prevalence, and dynamics of diseases in animal populations. This field has gained significant importance recently, especially in light of global health challenges (e.g., COVID-19, Ebola, etc.). By studying disease ecology, we can gain valuable insights into how diseases emerge, spread, and impact ecosystems and human societies. Our goal in this course i...

The school is designed to encourage women to take up physics as a career. The sessions will be centered on some simple physics experiments, conducted by the students, or as demonstrations. The subsequent discussion will focus on theoretical aspects motivated by the experiments and explore physical ideas and theory in an open ended manner, so as to bring out the excitement and interconnectedness of the subject. We will also have problem solving sessions and special lectures by invited speakers. Participants will be required to stay on the ICTS campus and attend the entire school in order to maximally benefit from the experience.Eligibility criteria: The school is open to women studying for a bachelor’s degree/Integrated Masters degree with physics as a subject, and are entering their second or third year.  This is a residential school and the selected participants will be fully supported. No registration fee. 

The Earth’s climate is dictated by atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, spanning over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales that undergo multi-scale interactions resulting in energy transfers across a multitude of scales. The energy transfers across these multi-scale regimes are key to the understanding of the energy cycle, but their quantification remains poorly constrained. Physical processes such as turbulent mixing and instabilities are difficult to observe or resolve in the numerical models and are often parametrized. Consequently, the question of energy-consistent closure in ocean and climate models, which heavily rely on parametrizations, remains open and challenging to address. To address these questions, a combination of analytical theories, numerical models, and observational measurements is necessary to advance our understanding of oceanic and atmospheric dynamics.The meeting spans two weeks addressing multi-scale and multi-physics topics in geophysical fluid dynamics inc...

Data assimilation is a mathematical approach employed by leading operational weather forecast centers worldwide. Its primary purpose is to estimate the most accurate atmospheric state and its associated uncertainties by integrating observations and short-range forecasts. Data assimilation methodologies extend beyond weather prediction; they play a crucial role in monitoring and comprehending climate and its variability through reanalysis of historical data. This versatile tool is instrumental in investigating processes within the domains of Land, Atmosphere, and Oceans.The field of Data Assimilation is unfortunately constrained by a scarcity of well-trained scientists and researchers familiar with its theoretical foundations and practical applications. To address this gap, we are organizing a two-week workshop with a specific focus. This workshop aims to provide comprehensive training by introducing fundamental data assimilation theory and facilitating hands-on sessions, particularly f...

Understanding phenotypic variation in terms of the underlying genetic variation is one of the central problems in biological evolution. During the last decade, valuable insights into the genetic architecture of phenotypic traits have been obtained and it is found that many phenotypic traits ranging from crop yield and human height to complex diseases are polygenic, that is, they are influenced by a large number of genetic variants. Despite this evidence, evolutionary biology continues to be dominated by two extreme views of adaptive dynamics where adaptation occurs either via large changes at a few genetic loci or infinitesimal changes at a very large number of them. The aim of this program is to integrate these two seemingly disparate ideas into a single framework and extend their ambit to include other modes of adaptation, and address how one can describe other scenarios quantitatively and relate them to empirical data.The program will feature pedagogical lectures, research seminars ...