velankar's blog

I wanted to call your attention to a session "Beyond Elasticity: Inelastic Deformations in Soft Matter" at the American Physical Society 2024 March meeting in Minneapolis, USA. Full description below. Please also forward to colleagues conducting research in similar areas.

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A post-doctoral position is available in the lab of Sachin Velankar at the University of Pittsburgh to examine buckling instabilities in soft polymeric materials. The project is experimental, and therefore some past experimental experience with polymers is desirable. However this project requires a thorough understanding of elastic instabilities, and therefore a comprehensive grasp of mechanics is absolutely essential  – indeed more important than past experimental expertise.

Two post-doctoral positions are available in the lab of Sachin Velankar in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh to conduct experimental research on the biomechanics of surface texturing in cephalopods (octopus or cuttlefish), and to devise reversibly-morphing surfaces.  These animals are famous for their camouflage abilities.  Like many other animals, cephalopods can change their color, but in addition, they can also change the texture of their skin by expressing protuberances or wrinkles.

A post-doctoral position is available in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the
University of Pittsburgh to conduct experimental research on developing
"morphing surfaces" that change topology by developing features such
as bumps, folds, spikes, etc. The post-doctoral fellow will develop (1)
surfaces that undergo a change in topology in response to applied stimuli, (2)
methods to control the shape and location of the morphing features on the
surface, and (3) quantitative or heuristic models to guide the design of
texture-changing surfaces.

A post-doctoral position is available in the lab of Sachin Velankar at the University of Pittsburgh to conduct experimental research on buckling of soft tissues in cephalopods (octopus or cuttlefish).