Barbara Drossel

Barbara Drossel is a Full Professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics within the Faculty of Physics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she has been conducting research since February 2002. Her work bridges theoretical physics, complex systems theory, and theoretical ecology, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding emergent phenomena in natural systems. She leads the AG Drossel research group that investigates the theoretical foundations of complex networks, ecological communities, and quantum systems.

Professor Drossel's research spans multiple domains with emphasis on complex systems theory, where she has made significant contributions to understanding random Boolean networks, food web modeling, and the physics of ecological communities. Her work demonstrates how simple rules can lead to complex emergent behavior across different scales, from quantum systems to ecological networks. She investigates how top-down causation operates in complex systems and explores the relationship between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic patterns in diverse contexts.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on theoretical frameworks that connect physics with ecology. Her work shows increasing integration of quantum mechanics with ecological modeling, particularly in understanding emergence and time evolution in complex systems. She frequently employs network theory to analyze ecological communities and has developed innovative approaches to studying species interactions, mutualistic networks, and spatial dynamics in meta-communities.

• Minerva Fellowship
• Heisenberg Fellowship
• DFG Fellowship for research at MIT

Professor Drossel has supervised numerous doctoral students whose work spans theoretical ecology, complex systems, and statistical physics. Her research group has secured funding for projects examining the stability of ecological networks, quantum decoherence, and the mathematical foundations of complex systems. She maintains active collaborations with researchers across Europe and has contributed to major theoretical advances in understanding how complexity emerges from simple interactions in diverse systems.

The AG Drossel research group operates at the intersection of physics and theoretical biology, maintaining strong connections with both the physics and biology departments at TU Darmstadt. The group combines mathematical rigor with biological relevance, developing models that capture essential features of complex natural systems while remaining analytically tractable. Their work has influenced both theoretical physics and ecological theory, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches to complex systems.