Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers: Theoretical Models and Mathematical Challenges (10w5105)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers: Theoretical Models and Mathematical Challenges" workshop from May 23 to 28, 2010.

Block copolymers allow for the synthesis of materials with tailored mechanical, electrical and chemical properties. The main challenge of block copolymer self-assembly is to describe and predict the possible nanostructures for a given set of material parameters.

The main objective of this workshop is to bring together for the first time applied mathematicians and physicists to explore mathematical issues surrounding the statistical theories of inhomogeneous polymers.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologí­a (CONACYT).