Materials Defects: Mathematics, Computation, and Engineering

Organizing Committee | Activities | Scientific Overview

Participation | Application | Contact Us

Jiun-Shyan Chen, Co-Chair (University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Civil & Environmental Eng)
Tim Schulze, Co-Chair (University of Tennessee, Math)
Vasily V. Bulatov (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
Kristen Fichthorn (Pennsylvania State University)
Nasr Ghoniem (University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Mechanical & Aerospace Engr.)
Mitchell Luskin (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities)
Michael Ortiz (California Institute of Technology, Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics)
Vivek Shenoy (Brown University)
Axel Voigt (Technishche Universtitat Dresden)

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• Orientation Day (by invitation only). September 10, 2012.
• Materials Defects: Tutorials. September 11 - 14, 2012.
• Workshop I: Quantum and Atomistic Modeling of Materials Defects. October 1 - 5, 2012.
• Workshop II: Atomistic and Mesoscale Modeling of Materials Defects. October 22 - 26, 2012.
• Workshop III: Mesoscale and Continuum Scale Modeling of Materials Defects. November 13 - 16, 2012.
• Workshop IV: Computational Methods for Multiscale Modeling of Materials Defects. December 3 - 7, 2012.
• Culminating Workshop at Lake Arrowhead (by invitation only). December 9 - 14, 2012.

There will be an active program of research activities, seminars and workshops throughout the September 10 - December 14, 2012 period and core participants will be in residence at IPAM continuously for these fourteen weeks. The program will open with tutorials, and will be punctuated by four major workshops and a culminating workshop at UCLA’s Lake Arrowhead Conference Center. Several distinguished senior researchers will be in residence for the entire period. Between the workshops there will be a program of activities involving the long-term and short-term participants, as well as visitors.

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Mathematics and computation have long played a significant role in materials science. Material defects present a huge challenge for mathematical modeling and simulation, as anything that breaks up the regular, homogeneous structure of a calculation requires special consideration. Examples include crack-propagation, dislocations, grain boundaries, impurities, shear bands and strain localization. In recent years, there has been particular focus on the multiscale nature of materials research --- how computational methods and mathematical models for describing materials vary from the atomistic to the continuum scale. The workshops in this program will continue this trend, but with a new emphasis on defects. While individual minisymposia in conferences have been organized in response to this increasingly important field, the science of material defects remains one of the most challenging subjects owing to its interdisciplinary nature that spans mechanics, mathematics, materials science, physics, computer science, and other scientific disciplines. This program aims to promote collaboration among this diverse group to assess the current status of defect modeling, promote the development of new computational techniques, and stimulate new applications.

The intent is for participants to learn about new mathematical and computational challenges in modeling defects in materials, to meet a diverse group of people, and have ample opportunities to form new collaborations. In addition to these activities, there will be opening tutorials, four workshops, and a culminating workshop at Lake Arrowhead.

Full and partial support for long-term participants is available, and those interested are encouraged to fill out an online application at the bottom of this page. Support for individual workshops will also be available, and may be applied for through the online application for each workshop. We are especially interested in applicants who are interested in becoming core participants and participating in the entire program (September 10 - December 14, 2012), but give consideration to applications for shorter periods. Funding for participants is available at all academic levels, though recent PhD's, graduate students, and researchers in the early stages of their career are especially encouraged to apply.

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Application

An application form is available at:

This application is for people requesting financial support to attend and participate for extended periods up to the entire length of the program (September 10 - December 14, 2012). Applications for individual workshops are separate and will be posted on individual workshop home pages when available. We urge you to apply as early as possible. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, June 10, 2012 but decisions will be made starting in January. Successful applicants will be notified as soon as funding decisions are made. Letters of reference may be sent to the address or email address below.

We have funding especially to support the attendance of recent PhD's, graduate students, and researchers in the early stages of their career; however, mathematicians and scientists at all levels who are interested in this area are encouraged to apply for funding. Encouraging the careers of women and minority mathematicians and scientists is an important component of IPAM's mission and we welcome their applications.

Contact Us:

Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM)
Attn: MD2012
460 Portola Plaza
Los Angeles CA 90095-7121
Phone: 310 825-4755
Fax: 310 825-4756
Email:
Website: http://www.ipam.ucla.edu/programs/md2012/

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