Thermodynamics of Computation in Chemical and Biological Systems to be held August 14-16, 2017 at SFI

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe NM

Investigators

Abstract

The workshop "Thermodynamics of computation in chemical and biological systems" at the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) will explore the role of both thermodynamics and computation in constraining biological processes, evolution, and metabolism. The workshop will be held over two-and-a-half days investigating the connection between thermodynamics and computation in a variety of topics including: pure computer science, the statistical mechanics of computation, chemical computers, the thermodynamics and computation of organisms. A synthesis of these topics will be necessary to more fully understand the general features of the thermodynamics of computation. In particular, understanding the fundamental aspects of the computations and energetics of life explicitly requires a treatment of each of the listed topics. Several graduate students and postdocs will participate in the meeting and the presentations and discussions will further their training and provide an array of new collaborations and opportunities for them in their research. An SFI NSF REU student will be co-mentored this summer on a project focused on the thermodynamics of biological computation. In addition, two of the co-organizers will present the new ideas discussed at the workshop to both the general public and scientific community. The workshop will connect three sub-disciplines - statistical physics, computation and biological and chemical computers - to each other in an attempt to provide the field with deeper theoretical coherence and connection. In particular, there is the need to migrate computer science and statistical physics tools for use in biological and chemical computers, and in turn, to use the biological and chemical systems to inspire new theoretical questions and techniques.