Nonlinear and Complex Physics Group
This is an IOP special interest group, which is a community of IOP members focused on a particular discipline, application or area of interest.
Special interest groups allow members to connect and share knowledge and ideas. The IOP funds groups to deliver a range of activities including events, prizes and bursaries. All of our groups are driven by members.
About the group
As a special interest, member-driven group, we stimulate interest and advance progress in the study of nonlinear processes and complexity in the physical sciences and its application to other disciplines.
Nonlinear problems are ubiquitous in nature yet there are no general principles to guide our understanding of observed complex behaviour.
Modern developments in nonlinear dynamics, coupled with scaling and universality arguments, have helped us make progress with problems ranging in scale from the quantum to the astrophysical.
The topics covered in these strongly nonlinear phenomena include:
- solitons and vortices in optics
- networks and disease propagation in biology
- turbulence and pattern formation in classical physics
Complexity is concerned with the central nature of change and evolution and places emphasis on the role of fluctuations and noise in self-organisation. In many of these areas, progress is most often made using an interdisciplinary approach that frequently couples experiment with theory.
Drawing connections between many of these areas has its roots in statistical physics and critical phenomena. The approach is now finding application in emerging areas like:
- soft matter
- complexity
- biophysics
- evolutionary biology and related fields
What the group does
We stimulate interest and advance progress in the study of nonlinear processes and complexity in the physical sciences and its application to other disciplines.
Please see our group website for further details
Joining an IOP special interest group
For non-IOP members: Become a member now
Group events
Find events for the Nonlinear and Complex Physics Group
Blog
Our blog includes news articles, further details about the committee, and information about support for research students.
Read our latest news on our blog.
Committee and contact
| Category | Name | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Mr Finn Box, MInstP | 2019 | 2025 |
| Treasurer | Mr Martin Reynolds, MInstP | 2023 | 2027 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Jean Boulton, CPhys FInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Paul Burns, MInstP | 2021 | 2025 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Stavros Christopoulos, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Ian Pawson, MInstP | 2021 | 2025 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Alejandro Puga, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr Matteo Taffetani, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
| Ordinary Member | Dr James Uhomoibhi, CPhys MInstP | 2021 | 2025 |
- Email: [email protected]