Theoretical Soft Condensed Matter Research Presentation by Prof. Ken Schweizer, Friday, Oct. 5

Prof. Ken Schweizer (Materials Science) will give a presentation on research opportunities in his theoretical soft condensed matter group in Phys. 596 (Physics Graduate Orientation) from roughly 11:50 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, in Rm. 144 Loomis.

Prof. Schweizer's interdisciplinary research group presently consists of graduate students and postdocs from physics, materials science and physical chemistry. Topics of interest include: (1) Slow dynamics and elasticity of glass and gel forming liquids composed of either polymers or colloids; (2) Crystallization and dynamics of dense suspensions of Janus particles; (3) Physical aging and nonlinear mechanical response in nonequilibrium macromolecular glasses; (4) Structure, phase transitions and dynamics of polymer-particle mixtures and networks; (5) First principles approach to topological entanglement dynamics in fluids of synthetic and biological macromolecules; (6) Structure, percolation, viscoelasticity and electrical conductivity of dense mixtures of nanospheres and nanowires. Several of these theoretical projects are carried out in collaboration with experimental colleagues at Illinois or elsewhere.

Any graduate students interested in research opportunities in theoretical soft condensed matter -- even those not enrolled in Phys 596 -- are welcome to attend Phys. 596 class during Prof. Schweizer's presentation.