Materials in Micro- and Nanofabrication Lab

In my group, research is focused on investigating and developing new techniques for patterning a variety of functional polymers on the micro- and nanoscale, and understanding how their properties change as a result. My core experimental research areas involve formulating and characterizing stimulus-responsive polymers, developing processes for patterning these (and other materials) through micro- and nanofabrication, implementing surface functionalization techniques to modify polymers for adhesion or specific binding, and characterizing the mechanical properties of polymers. While my research is based mainly in experimental work, I frequently utilize numerical analysis to explore the way design characteristics (including materials and architecture) affect phenomenon including fluid flow, heat transfer, and mechanical stress and strain within devices (note that these phenomenon are difficult/impossible to measure directly over small length scales). My students are working in a variety of application areas, from smart packaging for food products to neural interfaces.