Since 2014, the Argyris Visiting Professorship honors internationally renowned scientists from Germany and abroad, who are outstanding representatives of their discipline in the field of simulation science. In 2021 and 2022, Gábor Csányi from the University of Cambridge and Serkan Gugercin from Virgina Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) are awarded with the Argyris Visiting Professorship from the Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science at the University of Stuttgart.
Gábor Csányi
Gábor Csányi obtained his bachelor degree from the University of Cambridge in 1994, and his Ph.D. in Computational Physics from MIT in 2001. After rejoining the University of Cambridge in 2001, he is since 2016 a Professor for Molecular Modelling at the department of Engineering at Cambridge University. His major research interest involves materials modelling, electronic structure calculations, the calculation of potential energy surfaces with subsequent applications in molecular dynamics simulations, and quite in general various aspects of multiscale modelling, and QM/MM methods. Csányi is author of more than 180 publications and has received several contributions to the scientific community. His publication Gaussian Approximation Potentials: The Accuracy of Quantum Mechanics, without Electrons with A.P. Bartok et al. has currently more than 1700 citations on google scholar, His program suits GAP and SOAP have been the basis for many ML potential development from DFT calculations and are used worldwide.
“Prof. Csányi very early recognized the power of machine learning for developing Gaussian approximation potentials for atomistic simulations for solids and fluids. I see therefore very strong links to SimTech’s research in project network 3 but also to other project networks and the machine learning experts in the Cluster”, Christian Holm underlines his reason for nominating Gábor Csányi.
Gábor Csányi is an expert in atomistic simulation, particularly in multi-scale modelling that couples quantum mechanics to larger length scales. He is currently engaged in applying machine learning and other data intensive techniques to physics, chemistry and material science and in particular to the problem of deriving force fields (interatomic potentials) from ab-initio electronic structure data. Gábor is also interested in statistical problems in molecular dynamics, e.g. in enhanced sampling algorithms that can be used to explore the global configuration space of materials and molecules. He contributes to the running of the Lennard-Jones Center in Cambridge, which brings together modellers who work on the atomic scale.
For more information see: http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/profiles/gc121
Serkan Gugercin
Being a leading researcher in model reduction and data-driven modeling and focusing on replacing computationally infeasible simulations of complex dynamical simulations with simulations that are computationally tractable yet remain high-fidelity, Prof. Dr. Serkan Gugercin was nominated as Argyris Visiting Professor by Junior Research Group Leader Benjamin Unger. The nomination was also supported by the SimTech researchers Bernard Haasdonk, Jörg Fehr, Felix Fritzen, and Carsten Scherer.
Professor Gugercin’s research focuses on developing theoretical analysis and computational framework for constructing high-fidelity reduced models that are much easier to simulate yet approximate the original system accurately for a wide range of operating conditions. In some cases, these reduced models are constructed purely from data as in the setting of data-driven modeling. This research area is highly interdisciplinary in character and covers topics such as numerical analysis, systems and control theory, numerical linear algebra, approximation theory, and optimization and has direct ties to many SimTech project networks.
“Besides addressing several of SimTech’s Focus Challenges in his research, Dr. Gugercin is an outstanding member of the community. He has always been involved in manifold applications in engineering and science. Most importantly, he is always willing to share his ideas and visions. With his open-minded attitude and his interdisciplinary background in simulation science, he is easy to engage with and, therefore, he makes for a perfect candidate for the Argyris Visiting Professorship. I am convinced that there will be ample collaboration possibilities during his stay in Stuttgart. Moreover, Prof. Gugercin already has multiple links to SimTech and the University of Stuttgart”, explains Benjamin Unger his nomination.
Professor Gugercin has studied Electrical Engineering (B.Sc. (1997) from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, M.Sc. (1999) and Ph.D. (2003) from Rice University, Houston, Texas, US) and is a Professor at the department of mathematics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) since 2003. He has received multiple awards, including an NSF CAREER Award, a Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, and a Teaching Award from Jacobs University Bremen. Moreover, he is a co-founder and a deputy division leader of the Computational Modeling & Data Analytics Program, which is Virginia Tech’s big data degree.
For more information see https://gugercin.math.vt.edu/
Public Honorary Argyris Lecture
The public Honorary Argyris Lecture gives the visiting professors the opportunity to present their research to the general public.
Public Honorary Argyris Lecture: Gábor Csányi
Title: First principles molecular dynamics on a large scale
Date: 26 October 2022
Time: 4pm
Place: V 7.01, Pfaffenwaldring 7, Campus Vaihingen
More information: For more informationen click here.
Public Honorary Argyris Lecture: Serkan Gugercin
Date: 7 December 2022
Time: 4 pm
Place: V 7.01, Pfaffenwaldring 7, Campus Vaihigen
More information will follow soon!