Statistical Physics Beyond Equilibrium

The world around us is predominantly out of thermal equilibrium, leading to complex dynamics that pose significant challenges for theoretical description. We investigate the statistical physics of systems that inherently break detailed balance at microscopic scales, such as those found in living and active matter, with the aim to deepen our understanding of the collective phenomena arising from nonequilibrium microscopic dynamics. A focus of the group is to study the energy and entropy flows associated with dynamical features, to link thermodynamic and dynamic properties, as well as their thermal and non-thermal fluctuations. Current research directions include optimal control strategies for active matter, glassy dynamics and memory effects in nonequilbrium systems, and non-reciprocal phase transitions.