The Center for Theoretical Physics of Complex Systems (PCS) of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) is organizing an international virtual workshop focused on open quantum systems and thermodynamics.

Aim of the event:
The field of open quantum systems is undergoing a rapid phase of development due to the emergence of new devices based on quantum superposition and coherence. In this context, it is crucial to understand: (i) the thermodynamic behavior of small quantum systems, in particular, when in contact with an environment; (ii) the related fluctuation relations that connect thermodynamic quantities such as work and free energy of the device; (iii) effects of intermediate and strong coupling to the environment; (iv) many-body effects and their persistence in the presence of dissipation. The aim of the workshop is to bring together leading researchers in this field to present new results and appropriate methodologies to identify and attack the relevant open problems of the field. The invited and contributed talks will cover these aspects related to open quantum systems and also to quantum computing, quantum heat engines, and optimal control of quantum systems.

Topics include:
- Strong coupling and non-Markovian (thermo-)dynamics
- Quantum machines
- Many-body open systems
- Driven open systems
- Fluctuation theorems

Our media partner, the journal Entropy (MDPI), will sponsor a prize for the best-contributed talk.