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From biological systems to artificially engineered structures, active materials and structures are defined as systems that dynamically respond to non-mechanical stimuli, often internally generated through chemical or environmental processes. Because their functionality arises not only from passive material properties alone, but from a complex interplay between internal driving forces, mechanical responses and geometrical configurations, these systems are frequently characterised by rich, nonlinear and counterintuitive behaviours, many of which are still not understood. Those behaviours involve instabilities, shape morphing and self-organisation, which challenge standard modelling paradigms. Understanding these systems requires a combination of experimental studies and theoretical modelling involving multi-physics coupling and non-equilibrium analysis, for which classical mechanics methods need to be combined with modern approaches in soft matter physics, applied mathematics and biomechanics. 

This one-day workshop aims to bring together researchers from physics, mathematics, engineering and biology to explore those systems and their unusual behaviours in both natural and synthetic active systems. A particular emphasis will be placed on slender structures where mechanical response is especially sensitive to the coupling between internal activity and shapes. We identify what are the relevant questions around those emerging materials and systems and discuss the appropriate modelling tools for capturing their behaviour across scales and disciplines.

This conference would be of particular interest to IOP Groups: Applied Mechanics Group, Biological Physics Group, Computational Physics Group, Early Career Member Group, Materials and Characterisation Group, Nonlinear and Complex Physics group, but all are welcome.