Dear Colleagues

Today at 17:15, the Kolloquium series of SS05 will continue with the Abschiedsvorlesung of Peter F. Meier (see abstract below).

From 16:45, there will be tea and coffee in front of the lecture hall 16 G 05 at the Irchel Campus of the University (the usual place!). For directions or further information, go to

http://www.physik.unizh.ch/teaching/kolloquium05/kolloquium.html

Note that tomorrow there will be a Workshop dedicated to Peter F. Meier (for program see attachment).

You will notice that there is still one slot of the Kolloquium program open: June 29, the last date before SS05 ends. Suggestions for a speaker are welcome.

With best regards,

Juerg Osterwalder

Abstract:

Computer Simulations in Science (Abschiedsvorlesung)

Peter F. Meier Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich

A critical examination of advantages and limits of computer simulations in science is presented. The interplay between reality, model, and treatment is of essential relevance and must be addressed. Do numerical calculations help us in understanding nature, or do they perhaps hide away the essential issues or even mislead us ? Some of these questions are examined using well known examples from statistical mechanics and solid state physics. In particular, the usefulness of computer simulations for an explanation of high temperature superconductivity is discussed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prof. Dr. Jürg Osterwalder Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich Winterthurerstr. 190 CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland phone: +41 44 635 5827 <<< NOTE NEW AREA CODE ! >>> lab: +41 44 635 5745 sekr: +41 44 635 5781 fax: +41 44 635 5704 e-mail: osterwal@physik.unizh.ch web: http://www.physik.unizh.ch/groups/grouposterwalder/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~