Topological textures arise in a remarkably broad range of systems, from magnets, ferroelectrics, superconductors, liquid crystals, and optical systems to soft and biophysical matter. Despite the diversity of their physical realizations, these systems share common concepts and mathematical structures related to topology, geometry, defects, and nonlinear dynamics. Particularly exciting is the possibility of drawing parallels between condensed matter and other fields, including biophysical and biomedical systems, and of using insights developed in one setting to inform another.
Topological textures are not only static configurations, but can play an active role in the dynamics and response of the underlying system. In magnetic materials, for example, they can provide a natural framework for understanding magnetisation transformations; in liquid crystals, changes in topological configuration can be intimately connected with the motion of solitonic structures through the host medium; and in superconductors, vortices have a fundamental influence on the material response and its interaction with the surrounding environment. As research increasingly moves from quasi-two-dimensional settings towards fully three-dimensional structures and more complex textures, new challenges emerge that call for a closer interaction between different scientific communities.
The workshop aims to bring together researchers working on different physical and biophysical systems, as well as experts in theory, experiments, computation, and mathematical modelling. Rather than focusing on a particular class of materials or methodology, the meeting will explore connections between different realizations of topological textures and the approaches used to understand, predict, and control them. Particular attention will be given to the interplay between dimensionality, topology, and complexity, including the relation between two- and three-dimensional structures.
By fostering dialogue between physics, mathematics, engineering, and the life sciences, the workshop seeks to draw parallels between disciplines, identify common questions and transferable ideas, develop new collaborations, and contribute towards a unified framework for topological textures across different systems and scales.