Chance and matter

Some of the most interesting problems set to solid state physicists, often on the borderline of other disciplines (mechanical engineering, chemistry, biology, hydrodynamics, computer science), have their origin in the interplay of matter and randomness. This field has seen the emergence of the most remarkable successes of the last few years which have sometimes opened unexpected new avenues - for example the theory of spin-glasses with its impact on various domains such as computer assisted design, the model for brain and the development of simulations on special purpose computers. This last success has been one of the main motivations for organizing another summer school devoted to the problems which result from the interplay of matter and randomness. All the courses were given by specialists in their particular field and the subjects covered included percolation and random media, aggregation, localization (electrons and waves), pattern selection, spin-glasses, and macroscopic quantum effects. Emphasis was placed on novel methods and the controversial open questions that continue to make the field lively and competitive.