Invited Seminar at CES on 3 March 2026 at 3:00 pm titled "Modelling some interesting natural systems -- dynamics and predictions"" by Prof. Janaki Balakrishnan from IIsc, Bangalore

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Topic: 
Modelling some interesting natural systems -- dynamics and predictions"
Speaker: 
Prof. Janaki Balakrishnan, IIsc, Bangalore
Date & Time: 
3 Mar 2026 - 3:00pm
Event Type: 
Invited Seminar
Venue: 
CES Seminar Hall, 3rd Floor, Biological Sciences Building
Coffee/Tea: 
Before the talk
Abstract:

Different nonlinear interactions extant among the numerous constituents of diverse systems give rise to several interesting phenomena and are responsible for the wide range of dynamics seen in nature. By construction of appropriate models that mimic observations, we can, to some extent, predict a system's behaviour in certain parameter regimes. A general understanding of a system based upon physical principles enables one to operate it in a "desirable" dynamical regime.

This talk will outline some of my past work in modelling & explaining the dynamics of some complex natural systems. We address questions such as- what causes certain insect infestation cycles to occur regularly like clockwork but sometimes cease suddenly & if we can predict their recurrence, how can we explain animal movement in human-modified landscapes, how do we predict tipping points, etc.

Speaker Bio: 
Before coming to CES, Prof. Janaki Balakrishnan headed the Complex Systems Programme at NIAS, Bangalore. She obtained her PhD in Theoretical High Energy Physics from the University of Delhi. She has worked in diverse areas, ranging from quantum field theory in curved space and theoretical high energy physics to dynamical systems theory and mathematical biology. She was earlier a member of the physics faculty at the Central University of Hyderabad for several years. She has held Visiting and other positions at various places including IMSc, Chennai; JNCASR, IISc & RRI, Bangalore; the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, U.K., Max-Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, and the Max-Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany. She introduced & taught the course: "Introduction to dynamical systems theory" (MA 278) for several years as a guest faculty in IISc.