1. Current status of statistical mechanics in Armenia Armen Allahverdyan (Yerevan Physics Institute) -- Introduction: subject of statistical mechanics -- Stat mech/thermodynamics of (small) engines -- Interdisciplinary stat mech: evolution theory -- Biological stat mech: presentation by E. Mamasakhlisov

2. Statistical mechanics: Explain macroscopic (many-body) regularities from microscopic concepts Predict new macroscopic effects Tools: classical or quantum mechanics + probability theory and statistics Statistical physics in Yerevan Physics Institute : 4 groups Method of presentation: focus on 1 important scientific questions for each subject Drawbacks: no focus on answers; activities are not fully covered Experiments: engineering thermodynamics, cond-mat, biophysics

3. 1. Statistical mechanics of (small) heat engines A. Allahverdyan (YerPhi), K. Hovhannisyan (former PhD in YerPhi, now postdoc in Barcelona) W. Deng (PhD student, France) Support: Volkswagenstiftung (2007-2010), NSF-USA (2008-2012) DARPA (2012-…) RRS-(Pays de la Loire, France) (2011-2013) PCR (China) Academy of Sciences (2011-2013) (to W. Deng) SC-Armenia (2011) (to K. Hovhannisyan ) Frequent structure of theoretical physics working group in Armenia : 1 researcher + PhD student(s) + western-eastern collaborators

4. Cyclic engine Work-source Hot bath Cold bath Work: Power: Efficiency: output / input Principal scheme of a (external combustion) heat engine

5. First law: Second law: Carnot (maximal) efficiency Efficiency-power dilemma: power goes to zero whenever Question: how to make engines both powerful and efficient Laws of thermodynamics Gasoline car: 25--30 %, Diesel: 35 -- 40%

6. Allahverdyan et al, 2005—2013 Physical Review E, A Physical Review Letters, Physics Reports Answer: study engines from within stat mech; microscopic origins of the power-efficiency dilemma (weak law) Experimentally motivated activity with YerPhi biophysics group by S. Gevorkian Explaining micromechanical/thermal experiments on bio-engines (haemoglobin) Gevorkian, Allahverdyan et al, Physical Review Letters 2009, Europhysics Letters 2009, 2011

7. 2. Statistical mechanics of evolution theory D. Saakian (YerPhi), Z. Kirakossyan (PhD in YerPhi) CRDF (2007-2010), NSF-Taiwan (2008-….) DARPA (2011-…)

8. Statistical mechanics explaining virus evolution theory Specific points of virus evolution High mutation rates  the unit of evolution is a group of connected genes Asexual reproduction, but with horizontal gene transfer: connected population, many-body problem  statistical mechanics is necessary Accurate experimental realizations

9. Question: microscopic theory of virus evolution for a finite population of viruses Answer : extract dynamical behaviour from the existing models (quasi-species model). Construct new models. Saakian et al, 2005—2012 PNAS (USA), Physical Review E

10. Conclusion Reviewed activity of 2 groups doing theoretical statistical mechanics at Yerevan Physics Institute Third group doing statistical mechanics at YerPhi is led by Prof. N. Ananikian. Biologically motivated statistical physics  talk by Prof. Mamasakhlisov More stat-phys, talk by Vadim Ohanyan tomorrow