In this talk, we consider the blow-up dynamics of co-rotational solutions for energy-critical wave maps with the 2-sphere target. We briefly introduce the (2+1)-dimensional wave maps problem and its co-rotational symmetry, which reduces the full wave map to the (1+1)-dimensional semilinear wave equation. Under such symmetry, we see that this problem has a unique explicit stationary solution, so-called "harmonic map". Then we point out some of the works of analyzing the long-term dynamics of the flow near the harmonic map. Among them, we focus on the smooth blow-up result that corresponds to the stable regime. In particular, the case where the homotopy index is one has a distinctive nature from the other cases, which allows us to exhibit the smooth blow-up with the quantized blow-up rates corresponding to the excited regime.

This talk aims to explore the application of calculus of variations in materials sciences. We will discuss the physics behind solid-solid phase transitions and elastic energy. Then the Allen-Cahn model in studying interfaces and their energy will be introduced. Finally, we will examine the Ohta-Kawasaki model and its role in understanding self-assembly in block copolymers. Recent research advancements in the Ohta-Kawasaki problem will also be presented.