Introduction

Professor Burkhard Duenweg, from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz Germany, who is an internationally renowned expert in this area, will deliver a 6 week long intensive lecture course aimed at providing participants with a thorough background in polymer physics. The main target audience for the course is advanced students at the graduate level, and interested postdoctoral students and researchers. The course will take place at the Chemical Engineering Department of Monash University.

Professor Burkhard Duenweg

Burkhard Duenweg obtained his Ph.D. degree in the group of Prof. K. Binder at the University of Mainz in 1991. He was then an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, collaborating with Prof. D. P. Landau, at the Center for Simulation Physics at the University of Georgia, Athens, USA. He returned to Prof. Binder's group in Mainz in 1993. In 1996 he joined the Max-Planck Institute (MPI) for Polymer Research, where he is currently a group leader in the Theory Group of Prof K. Kremer. In January 2008, he was appointed "Extraordinary Professor" in Theoretical Physics at the University of Mainz. He is an Associate Editor for Physical Review E since April 2004.

Burkhard Duenweg's scientific background is in statistical physics, phase transitions, random processes, transport theory, hydrodynamics, polymer physics, and computer simulation methodology. He has made seminal contributions to the development of mesoscopic simulation algorithms-most notably, the invention of a simple and efficient algorithm to simulate soft-matter systems in solution, such that hydrodynamic interactions are faithfully taken into account. Further details on his research interests can be found at http://www.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/~duenweg/