This workshop aims to bring together experts in relativistic hydrodynamic simulations, theoretical studies of the QCD critical point, lattice QCD, and heavy-ion experiments to advance the experimental search for the QCD critical point. Recent results on the proton number fluctuations from the RHIC Beam Energy Scan indicate qualitatively consistent behavior with expectations based on equilibrium critical behavior, motivating the need for a more quantitative and dynamical understanding. The workshop focuses on practical and interdisciplinary discussions, including the implementation of equations of state incorporating the QCD critical point in hydrodynamic simulations, the role of non-equilibrium effects in hydrodynamic evolution, and the identification of observables complementary to fluctuation measurements. By fostering close interaction across theory, phenomenology, and experiment, the workshop seeks to clarify open issues and initiate concrete collaborations toward exploring critical phenomena in non-equilibrium heavy-ion collisions.
Date and Venue
Date: June 1 (Monday) - June 4 (Thursday), 2026
Venue: Maskawa Hall, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University (Access map)
Schedule
- Days 1–3 (June 1–3): Main workshop sessions
(~10 talks/day, including a short discussion session) - Day 4 (June 4): Final workshop session and general discussion
(1–2 talks)
Important Dates
- April 15 (Friday), 2026 – Abstract submission & financial support application deadline
- April 24 (Friday), 2026 – On-site participation deadline
- May 25 (Monday), 2026 – Online participation deadline
Invited Speakers (tentative)
- Isabella Danhoni (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
- Jishnu Goswami (Bielefeld University)
- Iurii Karpenko (Czech Technical University in Prague)
- Jamie M. Karthein (Texas A&M University)
- Yasushi Nara (Akita International University)
- Takafumi Niida (University of Tsukuba)
- Chiho Nonaka (Hiroshima University)
- Ashish Pandav (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
- Azumi Sakai (Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science)
- Chun Shen (Wayne State University)
- Mikhail Stephanov (University of Illinois Chicago)
- Nu Xu (Central China Normal University)
- Yi Yin (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen)
Organizers
Noriyuki Sogabe (University of Osaka), Yuuka Kanakubo (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Masakiyo Kitazawa (YITP), Akihiko Monnai (Osaka Institute of Technology), Toshihiro Nonaka (Tsukuba University)
Related workshop
In the preceding week (May 26–29, 2026), the workshop “Buenas Ideas on the QCD Phase Diagram” will be held. If you are interested, please visit the following webpage for further details:
