| Abstract | From coherent swarms of fish or movement of ions into cell membranes to leakage of gases through container pores or waves propagating through biological tissues, the non-equilibrium world around us is complex, diverse and dynamic. In this talk, I will first briefly discuss a few classes of non-equilibrium theories of interacting systems which comprise rich phase behaviour and lend themselves to analytical tractability. Next, motivated by contraction waves in biological tissues, I will introduce a new minimal hydrodynamic description of a class of pulsating systems and discuss transitions between different dynamical phases therein. I will then show how fluctuations affect such pattern forming systems. I will conclude by sharing broader perspectives on how deformable systems can provide a fertile ground for Statistical Physics research in the near future. |