Florian Schäfer leads the “Matter and Information” research initiative for the Institute for Matter and Systems at Georgia Tech. In this role, his research focuses on numerical analysis, computational statistics, multi-agent optimization, and game-theoretic approaches in deep learning. Schäfer is an assistant professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.

In this brief Q&A, Schäfer discusses his research focus, how it relates to Matter and Systems’ core research focuses, and the national impact of this initiative.

What is your field of expertise and at what point in your life did you first become interested in this area?
I work on using statistical insights for designing algorithms to design physical systems. I can trace my interest in the interplay between physical systems and information processes all the way to high school times, when I was fascinated by the question of what it is that makes us think of some complex physical systems as "computers," but not of others.

What questions or challenges sparked your current research? 
Simulating physics is in many ways like statistical analysis with data produced by computation. My aim is to understand the implications of this perspective for algorithm design in scientific computing.

Matter and systems refer to the transformational technological and societal systems that arise from the convergence of innovative materials, devices, and processes. Why is your initiative important to the development of the IMS research strategy? 
An exciting current development is the two-fold convergence of physical and information sciences: The use of statistical /machine learning approaches for physical simulation and of new physical processes for computation. IMS is the perfect environment pursuing this goal.

What are the broader global and social benefits of the research you and your team conduct? 
The main societal contribution of my research is the efficient and reliable simulation of complex engineering system to aid the development of improved designs.

What are your plans for engaging a wider Georgia Tech faculty pool with the Institute for Matter and Systems research? 
I plan to engage researchers across GT through reading groups and seminars, with the goal of converging on a sufficiently concrete idea for an externally funded project. I hope that this will serve as a nucleus for exploring the use of novel physical processes for computation.