A reseach group organized under the joint auspices of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the University of Oslo (UiO) and the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) is building a center to approach the study of soft materials and co mplex systems from a fundamental point of view. The center is focusing on physics, but also related geological and biological issues will be studied. The interests of this center ranges from flow in porous media to the behaviour of sand, from complex flui ds to biopolymers, and from fracture processes to genetic regulatory systems.
This activity thus links passive soft condensed matter and active life-like materials and systems. The center will be a joint national center based on activities at NYNU, UiO an d IFE. The group has an established history of close collaboration and is Norway's leading group in this field. The group's goal is to become the leading center for soft condensed matter studies in the Nordic countries.