Event Schedule

The QCD Critical Point: Are We There Yet?

All time info is in Pacific Time (UTC -7); please convert accordingly.

Please check the schedule regularly, as it is subject to change.

Note: By attending a program talk, participants agree to abide by the INT Code of Conduct

Week 2

Monday, November 3, 2025

Start Time Presentation Title Discussion Lead Location Slides
Welcome to the INT and Introductions C421
SUMMARY OF WEEK 1 C421 PDF
Coffee Break C421
FUNCTIONAL QCD, LYE SINGULARITIES, AND AdS/CFT: FRG, DSE, expansions of LQCD at muB^2<0, and holography yield predictions for the QCD CP. What are the current systematic errors? C. Fischer, L. McLerran, J. Noronha, J. Pawlowski, V. Skokov C421 PDF, PDF, PDF, PDF, PDF
Lunch break
Afternoon discussion C423

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Start Time Presentation Title Discussion Lead Location Slides
LQCD- AND HRG-BASED APPROACHES: Analytic continuation of the LQCD data and thermal models: What region of the QCD phase diagram can we reliably study? J. Karthein, R. Poberezhniuk, C. Ratti, H. Shah, V. Vovchenko C421 PDF, PDF
Coffee break C421
SIMULATIONS: Can transport, hybrid models, and molecular dynamics be relied on to provide estimates of fluctuation observables with and without a CP? If they can, what will it take? H. Elfner, I. Karpenko, V. Kuznietsov, D. Mroczek, J. Noronha-Hostler C421 PDF
Lunch break
Afternoon discussion C423

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Start Time Presentation Title Discussion Lead Presenter Presenter Organization Location Slides
HIGHER-ORDER FLUCTUATIONS (EXP): What can we learn from the energy and acceptance dependence? Can current dynamic models be trusted as baselines? Can other observables be found to corroborate possible deviations? X. Dong, A. Pandav, N. Xu C421 PDF
Coffee break C421
HIGHER-ORDER FLUCTUATIONS (TH): Higher-order fluctuation measurements from BES-II: What do they tell us about the QCD phase diagram? V. Koch, M. Stephanov, V. Vovchenko C421 PDF
Lunch break
INT Special Seminar, "Large N_c, Three Dimensional String Theory, the Thermodynamics and Phase Structure of QCD" Larry McLerran, Associate Senior Fellow / Professor Emeritus Institute for Nuclear Theory C421
Afternoon discussion C423

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Start Time Presentation Title Discussion Lead Location Slides
DYNAMICS OF FLUCTUATIONS: Critical dynamics in heavy-ion collisions: When can we expect realistic simulations and how will they help interpret measured fluctuations? B. Fu, M. Harhoff, M. Pradeep, T. Schaefer, M. Stephanov C421 PDF
Coffee Break C421
NEUTRON STARS: Neutron star studies put constraints on the QCD EOS: What can they tell us about the CP of nearly-isospin symmetric matter? C. Ecker, M. Marczenko, D. Mroczek, J. Noronha-Hostler, T. Zhao C421 PDF
Lunch break
Afternoon discussion C423

Friday, November 7, 2025

Start Time Presentation Title Discussion Lead Location Slides
OVERVIEW: Putting everything together: Is there a path to discovery? V. Koch, V. Skokov C421 PDF
Lunch break