Nano/mesoscale mechanical and rheological response with dissipation has become, thanks to the very broad range of experimental/theoretical approaches, a novel local diagnostic and even spectroscopic tool, as well as a playground of sophisticated non-equilibrium statistical physics.

The physics of nanoscale mechanical dissipation is relevant to sliding nanofriction, to technological themes such as lubrication or finger-touchscreen friction, to soft and granular matter, to nanofrictional emulation in optical lattices, to active matter, to quantum and classical processes in noncontact AFM, and beyond. Between condensed matter physics, nanomechanics, materials science and engineering, this interdisciplinary area is of considerable conceptual value as a modern subject in non-equilibrium physics, and of the potential relevance of neighbouring fields such as fatigue, wear, lubrication, rheology, and biomechanics. As is well established in ICTP Trieste since 1995, we will collect the world community active in these fields, including groups in emerging countries, mixing theoretical, simulation and experimental highlights, and identifying future directions of motion of
research in this lively arena.

Topics:

Participants are encouraged to submit abstracts of proposed poster contributions. A number of short oral presentation slots will be available for some of them upon selection.

Speakers:
A. BENASSI, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Italy
R. BENNEWITZ, Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Germany
X. CAO, University of Konstanz, Germany
X. CHENG, University of Minnesota, USA
G. DE VILHENA, University of Basel, Switzerland
A. ERDEMIR, Argonne National Laboratory, USA
N. ESPALLARGAS, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Norway
A. GIACOMELLO,  Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
E. GNECCO, University of Jena, Germany
N. GOSVAMI, Indian Institute of Technology, India
B. GOTSMANN, IBM Zurich Laboratories, Switzerland
T. HEIMBURG, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
E. KOREN, Technion, Haifa, IL
Q. LI, Tsinghua University, China
H. LÖWEN, University of Düsseldorf, Germany
M. MA, Tsinghua University, China
T. MA, Tsinghua University, China
N. MANINI, University of Milan, Italy
L. MARKS, Northwestern University, USA
J. M. MARTIN,  Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France
R. PAWLAK, University of Basel, Switzerland
M. ROBBINS, Johns Hopkins University, USA
A. SIRIA, Ecole normale Supérieur Paris, France
M. URBAKH, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Grants:
A limited number of grants are available to support the attendance of selected participants, with priority given to participants from developing countries. There is no registration fee.