Metastability and Tipping in Complex Systems
International Conference at the University of Leicester, UK
3-5 September 2024
Thanks so much for coming and for your valuable contributions that made this conference possible! We hope you enjoyed the scientific programme, discussions, the socialising, the cake for breakfast and Leicester's international cuisine.
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Keynote speakers
- Maria Cameron, University of Maryland
Theory and Computation of the Quasipotential - Bartłomiej Dybiec, Jagiellonian University in Krakow
Metastability and Jump Processes - Steve Fitzgerald, University of Leeds
Path integrals and Stochastic Transitions - Kathrin Padberg-Gehle, Leuphana University Lüneburg
Metastability and Almost-invariant Sets (cancelled) - Tobias Grafke, University of Warwick
Metastability and Rare Transitions Via Sharp Large Deviation Estimates - Aneta Koseska, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology
Emergence of Quasi-stability in Biological Systems - Ying-Cheng Lai, Arizona State University
Global Phase-space Approach to Rate-induced Tipping in Complex Biological Networks - Grigorios Pavliotis, Imperial College London
Phase Transitions and Dynamical Metastability for Stochastic Interacting Particle Systems - Sergei Petrovskii, University of Leicester
Long Transients as a Possible Mechanism of Regime Shifts and Metastable Dynamics in Ecosystems - Larissa Serdukova, University of Leicester
Lévy-noise versus Gaussian-noise-induced Transitions in the Ghil-Sellers Energy Balance Model
Theme
Many complex systems are metastable: they possess states that are typically long-lived but between which the system may switch spontaneously, e.g. through noise-induced transitions between coexisting attracting states or due to transient phenomena. Identifying transient metastable states and anticipating critical transitions (tipping) has become a key research focus in applied mathematics, driven by the need for advanced techniques to meet today's societal challenges.
The goal of this conference is to exchange recent results in mathematics and its applications around the theory of metastability for complex systems. Bringing together an interdisciplinary community of experts, we seek to explore different definitions of metastability that account for its rich phenomenology. This includes the emergence of metastability from adding noise to dynamical systems exhibiting multistability (i.e. featuring multiple competing attractors), but also the view of long transient behaviour as a convincing mathematical description of metastable dynamics. A particular focus will be on advances that go beyond common assumptions which restrict our understanding of real phenomena, such as non-autonomous, non-equilibrium dynamics and non-Gaussian noise.
We invite contributions on a wide range of topics from large deviation theory, exit problems, transition path theory, rare event sampling and numerical techniques to chaos theory, stochastic differential equations, stochastic processes and early-warning indicators. Fostering the interaction between pure mathematical research and applications, we seek to connect areas like climate, ecology, power systems, biophysics, materials science and data science.
Programme
Welcome remarks and the first keynote talk will start at 11.00 am on Tuesday 3rd September (registration open from 10.00 am). The official programme will end at 1.00 pm on Thursday 5 September, but rooms will remain available for discussion on Thursday afternoon.
Conference dinner
The self-funded conference dinner will take place on Wednesday at 7pm in an Indian/Nepalese restaurant, serving a variety of vegan, vegetarian, fish and meat dishes (starters, mains, rice and bread) at a fixed price of £22 per person (excluding drinks).
Key info
- Venue: Sir Bob Burgess Building , Leicester LE2 6BF (view on Google Maps)
Check-in and badge collection in Room 1.02 - Registration opens: 10.00 am, 3 September
- Programme start: 11.00 am, 3 September
- Conference dinner: 7.00 pm, Wednesday 4 September
- Programme end: 13.00 am, 5 September (free discussion in the afternoon)
Presenter guidelines
- Invited keynote talks:
30-35 min (+ 5-10 min for questions and changeover). Please send us your slides at least 12 hours before the start of your talk. Accepted formats: .pptx, .pdf, Google Slides link. - Contributed talks:
15 min (+ 5 min for questions and changeover). Please send us your slides at least 12 hours before the start of your talk. Accepted formats: .pptx, .pdf, Google Slides link. - Poster presenters:
Please bring your poster already printed. Maximum poster dimensions: size A0. We will have multiple ways of putting up your poster depending on the format.
Past dates
- Abstract submission deadline: 2 July (passed)
- Notification of acceptance: Sent on 5 July
- Early-bird registration deadline: 9 July (passed)
- Registration deadline: 31 July (passed, for late registration see below)
Abstract submission
Abstract submissions are now closed. We have sent out notifications of acceptance by email on 5 July. Please contact us regarding late submissions or if you have not received a notification of acceptance.
Registration
Late registration was possible until end of August.
The registration fee includes full attendance (Tuesday to Thursday), lunch, coffee breaks, and the poster reception on Tuesday evening. Attendees are invited to join the self-funded dinner on Wednesday evening.
- Student fee: £70
- Early-bird regular fee (until 9 July): £100
- Regular fee: £150
Support
If you are an early-career researcher and face difficulties covering the costs of attending this conference, please get in touch with us as we may have limited funds available to support early-career researchers. Please understand that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The London Mathematical Society believes that all parents working in mathematics should be able to attend conferences/research meetings without being hindered by childcare costs and thereby administers a Childcare Supplementary Grant Scheme. Further information about this scheme can be found on the LMS website.
Venue
The conference will take place in the Sir Bob Burgess Building, Leicester LE2 6BF. Come to Room 1.02 for check-in and badge collection.
Getting there. Located in the heart of England, Leicester is conveniently linked by rail to other UK cities (London - 1h, Birmingham - 1h, Leeds - 2h, Edinburgh - 5h) and airports (East Midlands Airport - 1h, London Luton and Birmingham Intl Airport - 1.5h, London Heathrow and Stansted - 2.5h).
Accommodation
We recommend College Court, a conference centre and hotel connected with the University of Leicester that offers convenient and affordable rooms. College Court Hotel is located about 1 mile from the conference venue (20-25 min walk). Rooms there can be booked through booking.com or expedia.co.uk. Alternatively, Leicester offers a wide range of accommodation options to meet your preferences.
Organisers
- Peter Ashwin, University of Exeter
- Reyk Börner, University of Reading
- Valerio Lucarini, University of Leicester
- Larissa Serdukova, University of Leicester
Contact: reyk.boerner@reading.ac.uk
The event is generously funded by the London Mathematical Society under their conference grant scheme.