Nordic Network in Soft Matter Physics

Soft matter has emerged as a major area of research in physicis. Physicists bring different skills to the problems in this field and can often provide links to universal models bridging various disciplines in the natural sciences. Several strong groups have emerged in this field in the Nordic countries, but until now there has been little direct support for cooperation between Nordic based physicists in the area.

About 150 scientists and students will be connected to this new Nordic network which will involve both experimentalists and theorists. Young researchers and students will benefit greatly from the shared opportunities for training and exchange visits as well as from the common schools/workshops/conferences that will be organized by this network.

Regular meetings join a substantial community with interest in the field and thus encourage more participation and sharing of know-how and experimental tools. Some of our experimental equipment and resources are expensive and only available at one or a few locations. Funds to permit effective shared use of equipment and exchanges of expertise will greatly enhance cooperative research.

Many of the Groups involved in this network collaborate actively with for example chemists, material scientists and others in different fields, either in their own institution or elsewhere. The special feature of this network will be to bring the physics community together so that young researchers can benefit from exchanges, meetings and courses that focus on their needs rather than as adjuncts to the larger community. Altough the focus is on benefits to be gained from a higher profile of physics in soft matter, it is expected that where appropriate, all disciplines will interact.

Contact:  Jon Otto Fossum (project manager)