@davidasivak.bsky.social
Professor & Canada Research Chair @SFUPhysics
Nonequilibrium statistical biophysics
Nonequilibrium statistical biophysics
This design modularizes the functions of fluctuation harvesting and energy storage, pointing to its incorporation in more practical devices.
January 28, 2026 at 5:19 PM
This design modularizes the functions of fluctuation harvesting and energy storage, pointing to its incorporation in more practical devices.
He elegantly shows how to convert horizontal thermal jiggles (‘fluctuations’) into vertically raising a weight against gravity. Remarkably, the horizontal fluctuations are more valuable than the vertical ones!
(image credit: Jasper Zhang)
(image credit: Jasper Zhang)
January 28, 2026 at 5:19 PM
He elegantly shows how to convert horizontal thermal jiggles (‘fluctuations’) into vertically raising a weight against gravity. Remarkably, the horizontal fluctuations are more valuable than the vertical ones!
(image credit: Jasper Zhang)
(image credit: Jasper Zhang)
Out in @physrevlett.bsky.social: @sfuphysics.bsky.social postdoc Antonio Patrón Castro (in tight collaboration with my colleague John Bechhoefer) pushes our information engine to higher dimensions!
doi.org/10.1103/xwjd...
doi.org/10.1103/xwjd...
Harnessing Higher-Dimensional Fluctuations in an Information Engine
We study the optimal performance of an information engine consisting of an overdamped Brownian bead confined in a controllable, $d$-dimensional harmonic trap and additionally subjected to gravity. The...
doi.org
January 28, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Out in @physrevlett.bsky.social: @sfuphysics.bsky.social postdoc Antonio Patrón Castro (in tight collaboration with my colleague John Bechhoefer) pushes our information engine to higher dimensions!
doi.org/10.1103/xwjd...
doi.org/10.1103/xwjd...
Detailed information, including invited speakers: wostmeeting.org
Abstract submission (deadline March 7): tinyurl.com/yjzxxxt7
Registration (deadline May 17): tinyurl.com/z8cup9fx
Abstract submission (deadline March 7): tinyurl.com/yjzxxxt7
Registration (deadline May 17): tinyurl.com/z8cup9fx
Workshop on Stochastic Thermodynamics
An online platform for the stochastic thermodynamics community to present and discuss their current research
wostmeeting.org
January 22, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Detailed information, including invited speakers: wostmeeting.org
Abstract submission (deadline March 7): tinyurl.com/yjzxxxt7
Registration (deadline May 17): tinyurl.com/z8cup9fx
Abstract submission (deadline March 7): tinyurl.com/yjzxxxt7
Registration (deadline May 17): tinyurl.com/z8cup9fx
The seventh annual Workshop on Stochastic Thermodynamics (WOST VII) will be held May 18-22, 2026. This workshop is entirely online and free to attend. 10-minute lightning talks will be chosen from 1-page abstracts, with priority given to early-career researchers.
January 22, 2026 at 4:59 PM
The seventh annual Workshop on Stochastic Thermodynamics (WOST VII) will be held May 18-22, 2026. This workshop is entirely online and free to attend. 10-minute lightning talks will be chosen from 1-page abstracts, with priority given to early-career researchers.
Kudos @mleighton.bsky.social
The selection committee also recognized with an honorable mention, the PhD work of Matthew Leighton, then at Simon Fraser University, entitled “𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪-𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴”.
January 20, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Kudos @mleighton.bsky.social
Any partial control (say through a few control parameters) is easily derived as a submanifold of this global manifold. Through this we can tractably compare hundreds of different control sets to identify sparse methods for efficient control.
January 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Any partial control (say through a few control parameters) is easily derived as a submanifold of this global manifold. Through this we can tractably compare hundreds of different control sets to identify sparse methods for efficient control.
From this we derived decompositions of the metric tensor that drastically improve numerical calculation (replacing infinite-time integration with matrix multiplication) and connect driving costs to undriven dynamics (through projection of control protocols onto underlying dynamical modes)
January 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
From this we derived decompositions of the metric tensor that drastically improve numerical calculation (replacing infinite-time integration with matrix multiplication) and connect driving costs to undriven dynamics (through projection of control protocols onto underlying dynamical modes)
We formulated a global thermodynamic manifold whose metric tensor quantifies the dissipation associated with complete dynamic control of a system’s energy landscape
January 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
We formulated a global thermodynamic manifold whose metric tensor quantifies the dissipation associated with complete dynamic control of a system’s energy landscape
Out in @physrevresearch.bsky.social: beautiful and fundamental theory from @sfuphysics.bsky.social PhD student @jrsawchuk.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1103/j59j...
doi.org/10.1103/j59j...
Global thermodynamic manifold for conservative control of stochastic systems
Optimal control of stochastic systems plays a central role in nonequilibrium physics, with applications in the study of biological molecular motors and the design of single-molecule experiments. While...
doi.org
January 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Out in @physrevresearch.bsky.social: beautiful and fundamental theory from @sfuphysics.bsky.social PhD student @jrsawchuk.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1103/j59j...
doi.org/10.1103/j59j...
Interested in the intersection of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and biophysics? Think Canada might be a nice place for your PhD/postdoc? Talk to me! Brand-new funding opportunity has quick deadline (so likely undersubscribed). nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/news/laun...
SFU internal deadline Feb 11
SFU internal deadline Feb 11
Launch of new Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards
As announced in Budget 2025 -
nserc-crsng.canada.ca
January 6, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Interested in the intersection of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and biophysics? Think Canada might be a nice place for your PhD/postdoc? Talk to me! Brand-new funding opportunity has quick deadline (so likely undersubscribed). nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/news/laun...
SFU internal deadline Feb 11
SFU internal deadline Feb 11
Come be my colleague @SFU ! Call is out for Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Assoc Prof/Prof stage)
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...
Rolling review of initial applications begins Jan 19
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...
Rolling review of initial applications begins Jan 19
Canada Impact+ Research Chairs
www.sfu.ca
December 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Come be my colleague @SFU ! Call is out for Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Assoc Prof/Prof stage)
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...
Rolling review of initial applications begins Jan 19
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/a...
Rolling review of initial applications begins Jan 19
December 5, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Applications received by January 15, 2026 will receive full consideration. For a full description and application instructions, see
www.sfu.ca/physics/abou...
Ping me if you want to discuss!
www.sfu.ca/physics/abou...
Ping me if you want to discuss!
Employment Opportunities
www.sfu.ca
December 5, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Applications received by January 15, 2026 will receive full consideration. For a full description and application instructions, see
www.sfu.ca/physics/abou...
Ping me if you want to discuss!
www.sfu.ca/physics/abou...
Ping me if you want to discuss!
We’re hiring!
The Department of Physics
@sfuphysics.bsky.social
at Simon Fraser U (in beautiful and vibrant Vancouver) seeks applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Experimental Biophysics, encompassing all scales of life from molecules to ecosystems.
@sfuscience.bsky.social
The Department of Physics
@sfuphysics.bsky.social
at Simon Fraser U (in beautiful and vibrant Vancouver) seeks applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Experimental Biophysics, encompassing all scales of life from molecules to ecosystems.
@sfuscience.bsky.social
December 5, 2025 at 5:54 PM
We’re hiring!
The Department of Physics
@sfuphysics.bsky.social
at Simon Fraser U (in beautiful and vibrant Vancouver) seeks applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Experimental Biophysics, encompassing all scales of life from molecules to ecosystems.
@sfuscience.bsky.social
The Department of Physics
@sfuphysics.bsky.social
at Simon Fraser U (in beautiful and vibrant Vancouver) seeks applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Experimental Biophysics, encompassing all scales of life from molecules to ecosystems.
@sfuscience.bsky.social
Out in @physreve.bsky.social:
@sfuphysics.bsky.social MSc student Sara Iranbakhsh reveals how symmetry mismatch between the components of nanoscale rotary motors affects their performance
doi.org/10.1103/k85p...
@sfuscience.bsky.social
@sfuphysics.bsky.social MSc student Sara Iranbakhsh reveals how symmetry mismatch between the components of nanoscale rotary motors affects their performance
doi.org/10.1103/k85p...
@sfuscience.bsky.social
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Out in @physreve.bsky.social:
@sfuphysics.bsky.social MSc student Sara Iranbakhsh reveals how symmetry mismatch between the components of nanoscale rotary motors affects their performance
doi.org/10.1103/k85p...
@sfuscience.bsky.social
@sfuphysics.bsky.social MSc student Sara Iranbakhsh reveals how symmetry mismatch between the components of nanoscale rotary motors affects their performance
doi.org/10.1103/k85p...
@sfuscience.bsky.social
This was a stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable melding of experiment and theory. Special salute to lead author Takahide Mishima and the rest of Shoichi Toyabe’s group at Tohoku, former postdoc Deepak Gupta, and current grad student Callum Wareham @sfuphysics.bsky.social @sfuscience.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM
This was a stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable melding of experiment and theory. Special salute to lead author Takahide Mishima and the rest of Shoichi Toyabe’s group at Tohoku, former postdoc Deepak Gupta, and current grad student Callum Wareham @sfuphysics.bsky.social @sfuscience.bsky.social
Is it more efficient to push a molecular motor with a constant force, or at a constant velocity? See our collaborative paper in @physrevlett.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1103/b24h...
and the Focus article
physics.aps.org/articles/v18...
to learn the winner and the why (it’s all about the fluctuations).
doi.org/10.1103/b24h...
and the Focus article
physics.aps.org/articles/v18...
to learn the winner and the why (it’s all about the fluctuations).
Efficiently Driving ${\mathrm{F}}_{1}$ Molecular Motor in Experiment by Suppressing Nonequilibrium Variation
Turning a biologically important molecular motor at a constant rate saves energy, according to experiments.
doi.org
October 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Is it more efficient to push a molecular motor with a constant force, or at a constant velocity? See our collaborative paper in @physrevlett.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1103/b24h...
and the Focus article
physics.aps.org/articles/v18...
to learn the winner and the why (it’s all about the fluctuations).
doi.org/10.1103/b24h...
and the Focus article
physics.aps.org/articles/v18...
to learn the winner and the why (it’s all about the fluctuations).
Reposted
Johann du Buisson, Jannik Ehrich, mleighton.bsky.social, davidasivak.bsky.social, and John Bechhoefer introduce a one-coordinate test that infers heat flow to flag “demonic” operation. In kinesin simulations tuned to experiments, the motor grows more demon-like as active fluctuations rise.
September 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Johann du Buisson, Jannik Ehrich, mleighton.bsky.social, davidasivak.bsky.social, and John Bechhoefer introduce a one-coordinate test that infers heat flow to flag “demonic” operation. In kinesin simulations tuned to experiments, the motor grows more demon-like as active fluctuations rise.
Still accepting postdoc applications!
Postdoc opportunity!
Join us in heavenly Vancouver (Canada) to develop fundamental nonequilibrium stat mech, thermo, and info theory applied to biomolecular machines and in close collaboration with experiment.
Details: www.sfu.ca/physics/siva...
Join us in heavenly Vancouver (Canada) to develop fundamental nonequilibrium stat mech, thermo, and info theory applied to biomolecular machines and in close collaboration with experiment.
Details: www.sfu.ca/physics/siva...
Postdoc Ad
www.sfu.ca
June 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Still accepting postdoc applications!
Reposted
New preprint out today: “Information Thermodynamics of Cellular Ion Pumps”. Led by talented undergraduate student Julián Jiménez-Paz, and working with @davidasivak.bsky.social, we explore the thermodynamics of cellular ion pumps like the sodium-potassium pump.
arxiv.org/abs/2506.11248
arxiv.org/abs/2506.11248
June 17, 2025 at 4:18 PM
New preprint out today: “Information Thermodynamics of Cellular Ion Pumps”. Led by talented undergraduate student Julián Jiménez-Paz, and working with @davidasivak.bsky.social, we explore the thermodynamics of cellular ion pumps like the sodium-potassium pump.
arxiv.org/abs/2506.11248
arxiv.org/abs/2506.11248
Fun new paper by Callum @sfuphysics.bsky.social, on energetically efficient multi-parameter driving of our favorite molecular motor (shout out F1!).
doi.org/10.1103/bm3d...
doi.org/10.1103/bm3d...
Multiparameter optimal control of ${\mathrm{F}}_{1}$-ATPase
Biological molecular machines convert free energy between different forms in cells, often at high efficiency. Optimal control theory provides a framework to elucidate design principles governing energ...
doi.org
June 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Fun new paper by Callum @sfuphysics.bsky.social, on energetically efficient multi-parameter driving of our favorite molecular motor (shout out F1!).
doi.org/10.1103/bm3d...
doi.org/10.1103/bm3d...
Congratulations to Matt on his Convocation Medal!
June 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Congratulations to Matt on his Convocation Medal!
Deadline June 30 for initial application. Happy to discuss. Details: tinyurl.com/4zkdasr9
Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) 2026 Competition
tinyurl.com
June 9, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Deadline June 30 for initial application. Happy to discuss. Details: tinyurl.com/4zkdasr9
@sfuscience.bsky.social in Vancouver seeks world-leading applicants in strategic areas that include Biophysics (featuring an internationally recognized and highly collaborative group of researchers centered in @sfuphysics.bsky.social).
June 9, 2025 at 4:32 PM
@sfuscience.bsky.social in Vancouver seeks world-leading applicants in strategic areas that include Biophysics (featuring an internationally recognized and highly collaborative group of researchers centered in @sfuphysics.bsky.social).