Basins, Landscapes, and Memory - 11th Pancharatnam Lecture

Explore the fascinating world of memory formation in materials through this distinguished physics lecture delivered by Professor Sidney R. Nagel from the University of Chicago. Delve into the complex behavior of far-from-equilibrium systems and discover how cyclically sheared particle packings can remember multiple values from training inputs, challenging conventional understanding of glassy materials. Examine the rugged energy landscapes where local energy minima are visited during each cycle, yet jammed solids can find periodic orbits despite the apparent complexity of glass as an interacting system. Investigate fundamental questions about how glassy ground states are selected and whether focus should be placed on local or global features in material behavior. Learn from Professor Nagel's extensive research on disordered systems, spanning from drop splash physics to jamming theory and memory storage in materials. Gain insights from a distinguished physicist who is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the American Physical Society's Oliver Buckley Condensed Matter Prize and Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research. This presentation forms part of the prestigious Pancharatnam Lecture series at the Raman Research Institute, offering deep scientific insights into the intersection of memory, materials science, and complex systems physics.