Dr. Hong Qian, Washington State University, Seattle

Abstract: If we consider entropy as a potential function, then its derivatives w.r.t. independent variables are entropic forces: temperature, pressure, and chemical potentials are all entropic forces.  When two systems reach a thermodynamic equilibrium, their entropic forces are balanced, e.g., equal temperature, pressure, and chemical potential.  This equal conjugate variables is actually a consequence of "equal treatment of data": When we add X1 to X2, we made an assumption to give them an "equal treatment". This yields their conjugate variables being equal.  Therefore, the concept of thermodynamic equilibrium is in fact a fundamental theorem of data science.  Applications of these results to data from single cells will be discussed.

Bio: Professor Hong Qian is Olga Jung Wan Endowed Professor of Applied Mathematics at University of Washington, Seattle. He received his B.A. in Astrophysics from Peking University and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, and worked as postdoctoral researcher at University of Oregon and Caltech on biophysical chemistry and mathematical biology. He was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society in 2010. Professor Qian's main research interest is the mathematical narratives of biological systems, especially in terms of stochastic mathematics and nonequilibrium statistical thermodynamics.  His recent book “Stochastic Chemical Reaction Systems in Biology” (2021), coauthored with H. Ge, has just been published by Springer.

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