# The Evolution of Heavy-Ion Physics: A Data-Driven Analysis of Quark Matter Conferences

## TL;DR

This paper analyzes over a decade of Quark Matter conferences to reveal global, thematic, and methodological trends in heavy-ion physics, demonstrating increased international collaboration and evolving research focuses.

## Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive data-driven approach to study the evolution of heavy-ion physics through conference analysis, highlighting shifts in research emphasis and collaboration.

## Key findings

- Growing international participation in conferences.
- Shift from facility-focused to phenomenon-focused research.
- Enhanced integration of theoretical and experimental approaches.

## Abstract

This paper presents a data-driven analysis of Quark Matter conferences from 2011 to 2025, investigating trends in geographical representation, research emphasis, and methodological strategies. Using a dataset of over 10,000 presentations, the evolution of heavy-ion physics through its premier conference series is examined. The distribution of presentations across countries and institutions shows the global reach of the field while highlighting opportunities for broader international engagement. Research topics show clear temporal trends, with certain physics concepts rising and falling in prominence, and a gradual shift from facility-focused to phenomenon-focused research. The analysis reveals increasing integration between theoretical and experimental approaches over time, reflecting a maturing field where these complementary domains strengthen and enhance each other. These findings provide quantitative insights that the evolution of heavy-ion physics is strengthened by international collaboration at conferences. The analytical methods developed here could help other scientific communities understand their own patterns of knowledge sharing and development.