[This is the old program from WS 2008/09. The current program and contact information can be found here.]

17 October 2008, 16:00

Sergio Alonso (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin)
Effective medium theory for heterogeneous reaction-diffusion systems

Abstract:
A simple effective medium theory is derived for spatially heterogeneous reaction-diffusion media. Its validity is tested in extensive simulations of front and pulse propagation in various model with with spatially varying diffusion coefficients and reaction rates. The predictions of the theory regarding wave speeds are always correct if the characteristic front width is much larger than the length scale of the heterogeneities. This condition is however violated in media with isolated or weakly connected sites. In such media the theory nevertheless provides the correct results if it is able to predict the percolation threshold of the isolated resp. weakly connected sites correctly.

31 October 2008, 16:00

Tetsuo Ueda (Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Japan)
Nonlinear processes in Physarum: Towards an understanding of the cellular behavioral intelligence [Abstract]

14 November 2008, 16:00

Alain Karma (Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, USA)
Spatiotemporal patterns of voltage and calcium signaling in heart cells and tissue [Abstract]

21 November 2008, 16:00

Alexander V. Panfilov (Department of Theoretical Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
Modeling mechano-electric feedback in the heart using reaction-diffusion mechanics systems [Abstract]

28 November 2008, 16:00

Karsten Peters (Institut für Wirtschaft und Verkehr, Technische Universität Dresden)
Structural properties of functional networks in biological and technical systems [Abstract]

05 December 2008, 16:00 Haber-Villa

Takao Ohta (Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Japan)
External forcing and feedback control of nonlinear dissipative waves [Abstract]

13 February 2009, 16:00

Frank Spahn (LS Nichtlineare Dynamik, Institut für Physik und Astronomie, Universität Potsdam)
What tell "propellers" in Saturns rings about planet formation? [Abstract]