(2gg) Bulk and Interfacial Dynamics in Complex Fluids and Soft Materials.

Complex fluids and soft materials comprise a broad class of passive and active systems characterized by microscopic time and length scales that dictate emergent macroscopic behavior. Applications range from nanoscale bioinspired engineering devices, e.g., self-propelled particles used as “microrobots” in targeted drug delivery, to the design of responsive materials which fall in the realm of materials science, engineering, and biophysics. My research philosophy is centered on the development of models that reveal essential physics seen in natural phenomena.

My research focuses on the interrelation among macroscopic phenomena, material microstructure, and microscale physics. For example, active systems composed of self-propelled particles, e.g., synthetic or biological swimmers show intricate behavior arising from symmetry breaking interactions at the microscopic scale yielding coherent collective motion in the macroscopic scale. The dynamics of complex interfaces, e.g., morphological response of biomembranes in external fields, where giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are used as a biomimetic model to study membrane biophysics. Here, a delicate balance between GUVs mechanical properties and environmental stimuli reveals a plethora of vesicle shapes that resemble configurations observed in nature and under controlled conditions. The flow-induced structuring in particle suspensions, e.g., cell-sorting near boundaries, where particle deformability, size, and stiffness play a key role; and particle segregation in the bulk of polydisperse suspensions and its relation to bio-inspired drug delivery systems. Motivated by recent research advances in utilizing nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles as a next-generation drug delivery system, my goal is to further the understanding of vesicles as blood-cell-mimicking transport carriers in the bloodstream due to its structural similarities to blood cells. My research approach employs a combination of theoretical modeling, asymptotic analysis, and numerical methods.

My academic training has been focused on the broad field of suspension dynamics. I worked on projects related to the non-Newtonian behavior of colloidal suspensions, the analytical derivation of governing boundary-layer equations for emulsion flows, hydrodynamic interactions and aggregation of permeable particles, and the flow-induced structuring in particle suspensions. In those studies, theoretical models, asymptotic approximations, and numerical simulations described the balance between particle relaxation time and imposed flow deformation rates. More recently, I have been working on the electromechanical properties and deformation of biomembranes with the goal of advancing the current understanding of signal transmission in neuron cells through the action potential.

Teaching Interests

I believe that good mentoring relies on conveying a message in a clear and meaningful way. My teaching approach is based on creating a friendly learning environment that fosters intellectual inquiry. As an educator and researcher in the sciences, my goal is to establish an open dialogue with students while teaching concepts that are fundamental to science, engineering, and mathematics. I will work closely with other faculty members and students to advance teaching excellence at my institution, honing my teaching skill set, and developing creative and interdisciplinary assignments, flipped classroom lectures, and engaging hands-on activities that give students ownership of their educational experience. My interest in teaching is motivated by the joy of helping students achieve their learning goals.

During my second year as a graduate student at Yale University, I attended a teaching panel where undergraduate students presented their learning expectations for the upcoming semester. I realized that being able to systematically create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment is crucial to the overall learning process. This experience was extremely rewarding and motivated me to pursue proper training. As part of obtaining the Certificate of College Teaching Preparation (CCTP) offered by Yale, I learned how to become a more effective teacher by, for example, setting specific learning goals for each session, creating an inclusive learning environment, and assessing student’s engagement via different categories of feedback. This resulted in positive teaching evaluations and winning a Yale college teaching prize, one of four awarded annually.