Robert Swendsen

Professor, Physics

Education

Research

My main area of research is solid state physics and statistical mechanics, with an emphasis on computer simulations. I have worked especially on thermodynamic phase transitions combining computer simulations with a renormalization-group analysis. I have also been involved in the development of new algorithms for more efficient simulations, to enable the study of problems that would otherwise involve prohibitively long computer runs.

In recent years, I have become involved in simulations of biological molecules. Such simulations require very large computer resources, which limit the problems that can be treated. Our group has developed new methods that have greatly improved the efficiency of some calculations and we are currently extending the range of applications.

Other areas of interest include magnetism and crystal growth.

Selected Publications

• D.C. Mattis and R.H. Swendsen, Statistical Mechanics Made Simple, Second Edition, World Scientific, New Jersey (2008).
• R.H. Swendsen, Explaining Irreversibility, Am. J. Phys. 76, 643 (2008).
• R. H. Swendsen, Statistical mechanics of colloids and Boltzmann's definition of the entropy, Am. J. Phys. 74, 187 (2006).
• F.M. Ytreberg, R.H. Swendsen, and D.M. Zuckerman, Comparison of free energy methods for molecular systems, J. Chem. Phys. 125, 184114 (2006).
• D. Ron and R.H. Swendsen, Computer simulations at the fixed point using an inverse renormalization group transformation, Physica A 346, 387 (2005).
• M. Fasnacht, R.H. Swendsen, and J.M. Rosenberg, Adaptive Integration Method for Monte Carlo Simulations, Phys. Rev. E. 69, 056704 (2004).