Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Tuesday, 09:20-11:50 (2. DS); Tuesday, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS); Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester bachelor students.

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Lecture: Collective Dynamics of Human Mobility (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS); Thursday, 11:10-12:40 (3. DS)

Lecturers: Malte Schröder

Mobility plays a major role for social and economic activity. From the point of view of physics, human mobility constitutes a complex system with many interacting particles such as cars, drivers, or pedestrians. Understanding the complex dynamics of these systems is essential to understand the effects of new modes of transport, such as car-sharing and ride-hailing, the impact of new technologies such as electric mobility, as well as processes that are driven by human travel, such as disease spreading.

In this course, we discuss fundamental concepts of network theory, nonlinear dynamics and game theory required for quantitatively modelling the complex dynamics of mobility systems. We exemplify these modelling approaches by discussing seminal results on the dynamics of human mobility, such as the emergence of congestion in road and pedestrian dynamics. Exercises include the computational implementation of these problems and algorithms and their analysis with the methods we have learned.

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Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Tuesday, 09:20-11:50 (2. DS); Tuesday, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS); Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Philip Marszal

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester bachelor students.

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Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physics Teachers

Monday, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS); Wednesday, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS)

Lecturers: Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester teacher training physics students.

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Seminar: Dynamics of Complex Systems and Networks (Hauptseminar)

Wednesday, 11:10-12:40 (3. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Complex systems are systems with many interacting constituents that exhibit collective system-scale phenomena beyond the dynamics of the individual components. Standard examples from statistical physics are the global alignment of spins in the Ising model or the macroscopic occupation numbers of a single quantum state in Bose-Einstein condensation. However, applications of these concepts reach far beyond standard physical systems. Similar phenomena may be observed in the spontaneous emergence of synchronization of the blinking of fireflies, the firing of neurons on the brain, or the emergence of phantom traffic jams.

In this seminar we will discuss basic concepts and specific applications of these ideas of complex systems physics. Topics will include for example the self-organized synchronization of coupled oscillators, topological speed limits in network dynamical systems, and the emergence and breakdown of connectivity in networks.

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Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Tuesday, 09:20-11:50 (2. DS); Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester bachelor students.

Sign up in OPAL

Lecture: Collective Dynamics of Human Mobility and Transportation (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS); Thursday, 11:10-12:40 (3. DS)

Lecturers: Malte Schröder

Mobility plays a major role for social and economic activity. From the point of view of physics, human mobility constitutes a complex system with many interacting particles such as cars, drivers, or pedestrians. Understanding the complex dynamics of these systems is essential to understand the effects of new modes of transport, such as car-sharing and ride-hailing, the impact of new technologies such as electric mobility, as well as processes that are driven by human travel, such as disease spreading.

In this course, we discuss fundamental concepts of network theory, nonlinear dynamics and game theory required for quantitatively modelling the complex dynamics of mobility systems. We exemplify these modelling approaches by discussing seminal results on the dynamics of human mobility, such as the emergence of congestion in road and pedestrian dynamics. Exercises include the computational implementation of these problems and algorithms and their analysis with the methods we have learned.

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Lecture: Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Tuesday, 9:20-10:50 (2. DS); Wednesdays, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for fifth semester bachelor students.

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Seminar: Statistical Physics and Dynamics of Bioinspired Computing (Hauptseminar)

Wednesdays, 11:10-12:40 (3. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Fabio Schittler-Neves

Statistical Physics and Nonlinear Dynamics have substantially contributed to understanding the basics of artificial neural network modeling and analysis. In this seminar, we will learn the basics of such approaches. Contents include some foundations of computation and historical remarks, basics of information theory, binary state neurons and simple and multi-layered perceptrons, the Hopfield model of associative memory, reservoir computing, heteroclinic computing, basic notions of machine learning, signal compression, and a number of example applications as they are currently employed in industry and elsewhere. The course is not suitable as a replacement for a machine learning or neural networks course given in Computer Science, it rather complements it by emphasizing the perspective of Dynamical Systems' Theory and highlighting alternative ways of processing information.

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Lecture: Network Dynamics and Research on Complex Systems (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

Wednesdays, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS); Thursdays, 11:10-12:40 (3. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

The dynamics of networks dominates our lives, from molecular reactions in our cells to neural circuits in the brain and from traffic networks to electric power grids. You will learn what network dynamical systems are, how to model them, how collective dynamical phenomena emerge and how to understand some of them. You will also learn to present your insights to a broad, interdisciplinary audience.

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Ringvorlesung Mobility4Future - A path towards climate-compliant mobility

Wednesdays, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS) online

Organizers: Marc Timme | Regine Gerike

How do we as a society establish an ecological and economical sustainable, climate-friendly mobility? In a diverse series of lectures with TUD-internal and external experts, we will shed light on various aspects of the current and future development of transport systems and evaluate novel options for human mobility.

Schedule and sign-up here.

Recordings of previous lectures are available here.

Lecture: Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Tuesday, 9:20-10:50 (2. DS); Wednesdays, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for fifth semester bachelor students.

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Block-Lecture: Collective Nonlinear Dynamics of Human Mobility and Transportation (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

23.03. - 03.04. all day

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder | David Storch | Verena Krall | Charlotte Lotze | Philip Marszal

Mobility plays a major role for social and economic activity. Understanding the dynamics of human mobility is essential to understand the effects of new modes of transport, such as car-sharing and ride-hailing, as well as processes that are driven by human travel, such as disease spreading. Approaches from statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics help to reveal and quantify these dynamics and the interactions between the individual travelers to make mobility more ecologically, economically and socially sustainable.

In this course, we discuss fundamental concepts of network theory, nonlinear dynamics and game theory and introduce seminal results on the dynamics of human mobility, such as the emergence of congestion in road and pedestrian dynamics. Students will work on implementation of the problems and algorithms and their analysis with the methods we have learned. Finally, we will work on small research projects that build on these results and methods, for example the incentive structure behind ride-sharing, the optimal layout of bike path networks or the dynamics of congestion at charging stations for electric vehicles.

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Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Tuesday, 13:00-14:30 (4. DS); Thursday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester bachelor students.

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Lecture: Physics of Sustainability - Energy, Flow Networks and Mobility (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

Wednesday, 09:20-11:50 (2. DS); Thursday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Malte Schröder | Xiaozhu Zhang | Marc Timme

Solving challenges about our energy and mobility systems is essential for humanity to live sustainably. Many of the current challenges involve collective, systems level phenomena, including nonlinear interactions and responses, economic dilemmas, and distributed network dynamics. Here we learn, develop and apply theoretical physics methods to address foundational systemic questions about energy systems and mobility. An introduction to nonlinear dynamics, stochastic processes and computational tools will be provided upon agreement. Students are given the opportunity for understanding, recapitulating and contributing to state of the art research.

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Lecture: Network Dynamics and Research on Complex Systems (Vertiefungsvorlesung)

Tuesday, 13:00-14:30 (4. DS); Wednesday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

The dynamics of networks dominates our lives, from molecular reactions in our cells to neural circuits in the brain and from traffic networks to electric power grids. You will learn what network dynamical systems are, how to model them, how collective dynamical phenomena emerge and how to understand some of them. You will also learn to present your insights to a broad, interdisciplinary audience.

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Seminar: Proseminar on Theoretical Physics (Proseminar)

Wednesday, 16:40-18:10 (6. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Understanding and interpreting research results as well as conveying them to non-experts in a limited set time is a non-trivial task we are confronted with during our studies and work, in and outside academia. In this seminar, you will learn what it means to read, understand and present academic research articles, and what are the requirements and pitfalls in presenting phenomena and findings. The aim of this seminar is to learn to read and understand scientific research literature, to train the art of scientific presentation of a research problem and to develop comprehension and communication skills.

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Lecture: Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Tuesday, 13:00-14:30 (4. DS); Thursday, 14:50-16:20 (5. DS)

Lecturers: Marc Timme | Malte Schröder

Mandatory theoretical physics course for first semester bachelor students.

Sign up in OPAL