Ned S. Wingreen received a B.S. in Physics from California Institute of Technology in 1984, and his Ph.D. in theoretical condensed matter physics from Cornell University in 1989 as a Hertz Fellow. Wingreen is currently a theoretical physicist and the Howard A. Prior Professor of the Life Sciences at Princeton University. He is a member of the Department of Molecular Biology and of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, where he is currently Director of Graduate Studies. He is the Associate Director of the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, and is also associated faculty in the Department of Physics. Working with Yigal Meir, Wingreen formulated the Meir-Wingreen Formula which describes the electric current through an arbitrary mesoscopic system. Abstract: DNA sequencing has revealed hundreds to thousands of microbial species coexisting in all natural habitats, including inside human hosts. However, resource-competition models predict that the number of species in steady coexistence cannot exceed the number of resources - the so-called “paradox of the plankton”. To address this puzzle, we model how trade-offs in metabolic abilities level-the playing field among competing microbes. Our model spontaneously reproduces several notable features of natural ecosystems, including high diversity, keystone species, and population dynamics. To register for this event, please use the following link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ea8CImqET6i8cZU1OpbtVQ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. The talk will also be livestreamed from the ICTP website. All are welcome to attend.