Transport and Efficient Energy Conversion in Quantum Systems

Several communities of experimental and theoretical physics are devoted to studying the problem of transport and energy conversion in quantum systems away from equilibrium. In statistical physics, these topics have been traditionally addressed mainly in the classical realm. In condensed matter and atomic physics, the traditional context has been quantum charge and spin transport. Recent progress includes the application of ideas from quantum information to understand the emergence of thermodynamical concepts and the creation in experiments of quantum coherent systems of various scales with a novel degree of control. These developments motivate work on fundamental challenges like the creation of optimal protocols for energy/information transport as well as state preparation. The aim of this conference is to provide a survey of the most recent advances in the area, bringing together experts across all these fields.