jDPG Autumn School 2013 - Physics of Complex Systems

November 21-24, 2013, Budapest.

This workshop designed by the jDPG 1 and Mafihe 2 was titled by Physics of Complex Systems. However, taking a closer look to the program it turned out to have a special emphasis on fluid dynamics in cooperation with the von Karman Laboratory in Budapest. The close relation of my topic to the field of fluid dynamics together with the fact that I had just started my PhD project brought me to visit the autumn school, especially on the background of international academic environments. Arriving on Thursday we were introduced to the local facilities, the organisation teams and most importantly the participants. First exchange activities and getting each other know was focussed. On Friday a guided tour at the Eötvös Loránd University including the Theodore von Kármá Wind Tunnel Laboratory, the von Kármán Laboratory for Enviromental Flows and a series of talks from representatives of some local research divisions was arranged. The talks covered Data Deluge in Physics (István Csabai), Physics of Complex Networks (Gergely Palla), Laboratory Modelling of Large-Scale Environmental Flows, Carbon Nanostructures (Imre Jánosi) and finally Flocking and Collective Motion (Jenö Kürti).

Even though the level of the talks and laboratory presentations was kept basic in the background of a very heterogeneous group of physics students concerning the level of education as well as the specific study subject, the talks offered some interesting insights. With a guided tour through the labs of the Department of Experimental Physics of the University of Szeged and time for exchange with students from the local Institute of Physics in Szeged all Saturday was filled. A very entertaining native guide gave many stories about the history and culture of the city. Finally, on Sunday talks of some fellow students taking part in the workshop were organised.

Subsequently the school was closed and participants scattered for their individual return journeys. Overall, the autumn school was an enriching time for me, especially concerning making relations with other students and getting to know different perspectives. Corresponding reports can be found on the web pages of the IAPS 3 as well as in the journal of the DPG: Physik Journal.

Georg Sebastion Völker