Simple Models of Synchronization  Â
At this very moment, your heart is beating thanks to thousands of pacemaker cells in your sinoatrial node, all firing in near-perfect unison. Similar acts of spontaneous synchronization appear throughout nature—in fireflies flashing in unison, neurons firing together, and even in networks of pendulum clocks or metronomes. Simplified mathematical models of these self-synchronizing systems have sparked new insights in nonlinear dynamics, often yielding surprising applications far beyond their biological roots. In this talk, Prof. Strogatz will explore two case studies: (1) Charlie Peskin’s influential model of cardiac pacemaker cells, which inspired advances in communications and electrical engineering; and (2) recent progress and open questions on how the structure of a Kuramoto oscillator network influences its ability to synchronize.
The talk will be held in the Stamp Student Union Prince George's room at 3:30 PM, after 30 minutes for coffee and snacks.
https://ireap.umd.edu/events/paint-branch-distinguished-lecture-applied-physics-2025Â