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Interfacial hydration phenomena in nanoscience and biology take place over a wide range of length and time scales. Relevant length scales are set by the range of intermolecular potentials on one hand and the interaction of individual molecules with much larger mesoscopic (chemical or geometrical) structures characterizing the confinement matrices. Time scales may range from the lifetime of typical molecular correlations, usually decaying within a few picoseconds, to hysteretic effects associated with highly cooperative dynamic processes. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the role of interfacial water in biology and nanotechnology will eventually emerge only if one identifies these rather disparate (length and time) scales and takes into account the consequences of their interplay. This is especially important for chemical and biochemical reactivity, which always takes place in aqueous environment, as well as for the structure and stability of solvated macromolecules, membranes and colloids. In order to make progress in bridging the time and space gap we must seek a common language between communities working the macro and micro levels. The organizers are bringing together two important theoretical communities, namely that of molecular modeling (from first principles to classical simulations) that tackle highly complex problems in many of its details, and representatives from Statistical Mechanics who adopt a more fundamentalist coarse-graining approach. As true progress via computational studies is only possible if there is a close synergy with experimental work, leading experimentalists are joining the effort.

Invited talks and contributed presentations will cover:
1. Water in biology
2. Water near soft materials/surfaces
3. Complex systems coarse-grained in space and time
4. Structural and dynamic aspects of microscopic solvation
5. Phase transitions in confined systems, non-equilibrium effects, dewetting
6. Interfacial water with ions