Principal Investigator
Norman J. Wagner
Robert L. Pigford Chaired Professor
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Affiliated Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Director, Center for Neutron Science
Graduate Students
Postdoctoral Researchers
Ben Thompson
Email: bthompsn@udel.edu
Phone: (302) 831-2957
Office: 047 Colburn Laboratory
Curriculum Vitae
Professional Staff
Undergraduate Students
Current and Former Collaborators
Former Graduate Students
- Dr. Jennifer Mills Ph.D. 2022 Thesis title: Chemical structure-property relationships of alkali-activated aluminosilicate polymeric materials for the development of sustainable construction materials.
- Dr. Summer Tein Ph.D. 2022 Thesis title: Novel Method for Investigating Structure and Rheology of Complex Fluid Interfaces with Biotherapeutic Applications.
- Dr. Yu-Fan Lee Ph.D. 2022 Thesis title: Microstructure and Rheology of Concentrated Colloidal Suspensions with Varying Nanotribological Interactions.
- Dr. Julie B. Hipp Ph.D. 2020 Thesis title: Structure, Rheology, and Electrical Conductivity of High-Structured Carbon Black Suspensions. Employed by: Procter & Gamble.
- Dr. Jeffrey S. Horner Ph.D. 2020 Thesis title: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Blood Rheology. Postdoc at Sandia National Laboratories.
- Dr. Jannat Nayem Ph.D. 2019 Thesis title: Biophysical Characterization of Critical Physicochemical Properties of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Formulations. Employed by: Amgen.
- Dr. Stijn H. S. Koshari Ph.D. 2018 Thesis title: The microstructure of dense protein systems in biopharmaceutical applications. Employed by: GlaxoSmithKline.
- Dr. Ru Xie Ph.D. 2018 Thesis title: Toward hierarchical material design via block copolymers in a protic ionic liquid: self-assembly, functionalization, device fabrication and commercialization. Employed by: Exxon Mobil Corporation.
- Dr. Stephen J. Ma Ph.D. 2018 Thesis title: Controlling Surface Properties of Polymer Materials Through Photodirected Thiol-Ene Wrinkle Formation. Employed by: Intel Corporation.
- Dr. Ryan P. Murphy Ph.D. 2017 Thesis title: The Nature of Anisotropic Particles with Short-Range Interactions.
- Dr. Paul Mwasame Ph.D. 2017 Thesis title: Multiscale Investigation of Fundamental Rheological Phenomena in Particulate Suspensions based on Flow-Microstructure Interactions. Employed by: Corning Incorporated.
- Dr. Michelle Calabrese Ph.D. 2017 Thesis title: Developing Structure-Property Relationships in Branched Wormlike Micelles via Advanced Rheological and Neutron Scattering Techniques. Current Position: Postdoc at MIT, Assistant Prof. at University of Minnesota
- Dr. Melissa Gordon Ph.D. 2016 Thesis title: The Development and Characterization of Stimuli-Responsive Systems for Performance Materials. Current position: Assistant Prof. at Lafayette College
- Dr. Jingsi Gao Ph.D. 2016 Thesis title: Rheology and Microstructure of Stable Concentrated Ionic Liquid Colloidal Suspensions. Current Position: Monsanto Company
- Dr. Dan Greene Ph.D. 2016 Thesis title: The Structure of Non-Crystalline Dense Protein Phases. Current Position: ReForm Biologics
- Dr. Colin Cwalina Ph.D. 2015 Thesis title: Shear Thickening Fluids for Enhanced Protection from Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris.
- Dr. Matthew Armstrong Ph.D. 2015 Thesis title: Investigating and Modeling the Thixotropic Behavior, Microstructure, and Rheology of Complex Materials. Current Position: Assistant Prof. at the US Military Academy at West Point
- Dr. P. Douglas Godfrin Ph.D. 2015 Thesis title: Thermodynamic and Material Properties of Reversible Cluster Formation – Application to Concentrated Protein Solutions”.
- Dr. A. Kate Gurnon Ph.D. 2014 Thesis title: Nonlinear Oscillatory Rheology and Structure of Wormlike Micellar Solutions and Colloidal Suspensions. Employed by: GE.
- Dr. Dongcui Li Ph.D. 2013 Thesis title: Toward Rational Design of Polyelectroylte-Surfactant Conplexes: Thermodynamics, Microstructure and Property. Employed by: Lubrizol.
- Dr. Mark Panczyk Ph.D. 2013 Thesis title: Directed Assembly and Dynamics of Anisotropic Particles. Employed by: Ingredion
- Dr. Jung Min Kim Ph.D. 2013 Thesis title: Effect of the Range of Attraction on the Rheology, Microstructure, and Thermodynamics of Thermoreversible Gels with Adhesive Hard-sphere Interactions. Employed by: PepsiCo.
- Dr. Jeong Jae Wie Ph.D. 2013 Thesis title: The Effects of Nanoparticle Size on Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Polymer Nanoparticle Nanocomposites. Employed by: Air Force Research Laboratory
- Dr. Carrie Street Ph.D. 2012 Thesis title: Rheophysics of Thixotropic Pastes: The Rheology and Microstructure of Systems Containing Crystallizing Surfactants. Employed by: Valspar
- Dr. Dennis Kalman Ph.D. 2010 Thesis title: Microstructure and rheology of concentrated suspensions of near hard sphere colloidal spheres. Employed by:
- Dr. Jason McMullan Ph.D. 2010 Thesis title: Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Crystals with Electric and Shear Fields. Employed by: ExxonMobil Process Research Laboratories, Annandale, NJ
- Dr. Amit Kumar Ph.D. 2009 Thesis title: Configurational Diffusion of Small Gas Molecules in Nanostructured Materials: A Computational and Experimental Study Employed by: IIT Guwahati, India
- Dr. Matthew Helgeson, Ph.D. 2009 Thesis title: Structure and Rheology of Wormlike Micelle-Nanoparticle Mixtures. Employed by: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
- Dr. Monica Branco, Ph.D. 2009 Thesis title: Responsive Peptide Hydrogels for Optimal Production of Monoclonal Antibodies. Employed by: National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD
- Dr. Teokor McFarlane, Ph.D. 2009 Thesis title: Selp-assembly of polyelectrolytes and surfactants in complex fluids. Employed by: Merck, Lansdale, PA
- Kate Hollabaugh, M.S. 2008 Thesis title: Microstructure and Rheology of Mixed Ionic Surfactants Employed by: Dow Chemical Company, Texas City, TX
- Dr. Armin Opitz, Ph.D. 2007 Thesis title: Structural and Functional Investigations of a Molecular Imaging Nanoparticle for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Oncogene Expression in the Pancreas Employed by: Genzyme, Framingham, MA
- Dr. Ronald Egres, Ph.D. 2005 Thesis title: The effects of particle anisotropy on the rheology and microstructure of concentrated colloidal suspensions through the shear thickening transition Employed by: The DuPont Company, Richmond, VA
- Dr. Lakshmi Krishnamurthy, Ph.D. 2005 Thesis title: Microstructure and Rheology of Polymer-Colloid Mixtures Employed by: The DuPont Company, Wilmington, DE
- Vikram Daga, M.S. 2005 Thesis title: Electrospinning and rheology of neat and laponite-filled aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) solutions Employed by: Unilever, India
- Dr. Jan Boshoff, Ph.D. 2004 Thesis title: Configurational Diffusion in Glassy, Amorphous Polymers: Effects of Polymer Structure and Dynamics on Permeation via Molecular Simulation
- Dr. Sudhir Shenoy, Ph.D. 2003 Thesis title: Electric Field Effects on the Rheology of Shear Thickening Colloidal Suspensions Employed by: Schlumberger, Sugarland, TX
- Dr. Beth Shubert, Ph.D. 2003 Thesis title: The Microstructure and Rheology of charged, Wormlike Micelles Employed by: Proctor and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH
- Dr. Brian Tande, Ph.D. 2002 Thesis title: The Rheology,Microstructure, and Phase Behavior of Dendritic and Hyperbranched Polymers Employed by: General Electric
- Dr. Brent Maranzano, Ph.D. 2001 Thesis title: Rheology and microstructure of concentrated near hard sphere colloidal dispersions at the shear thickening transition Employed by: Pfizer, Groton, CT
- Dr. Abe Vaynberg, Ph.D. 1999 Thesis title: Rheology and Shear Aggregation of Gelatin Stabilized Colloids Employed by: Ashland, Wilmington, DE
- Dr. Thomas Cuthbert, Ph.D. 1998 Thesis title: Transport of Small Penetrants in Polymer Glasses: Investigations via Simulations Employed by: Union Carbide, NJ
- Dr. William Kernick III, Ph.D. 1998 Thesis title: Rheology and Morphology of Polymer Blends Containing Liquid Crystalline Polymers Employed by: GE Plastics
- Joseph M. Amante, M.S. 1998 Thesis title: Investigation of Shear Thickening in Charge Stabilized Colloidal Dispersions Employed by: Procter & Gamble, Norwich, NY
- Dr. Maria Van Eijndhoven-Rivera, Ph.D. 1997 Thesis title: Flow Induced Morphological Transitions In Polymer Blends Containing A Liquid Crystalline Polymer Employed by : The DuPont Company, Wilmington, DE
- Prof. Johan Bergenholtz, Ph.D. 1996 Thesis title: Statics and Dynamics of Colloidal Suspensions with Attractive Interactions Employed by: University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Prof. Jonathan W. Bender, Ph.D. 1995 Thesis title: Rheo-Optical Investigations of the Microstructure of Model Colloidal Suspensions Employed by: University of South Carolina
- Dr. Sanjeev Rastogi, Ph.D. 1995 Thesis title: Nonequilibrium Brownian Dynamics of Colloidal Suspensions Employed by: Union Carbide Corporation, Bound Brook, NJ
- Prof. Lynn M. Walker, Ph.D. 1995 Thesis title: Rheology and Rheo-Optics of Liquid Crystal Polymers Under Flow Employed by: Carnegie Mellon University
Former Undergraduate Researchers
- Peter Diaz, B.S. 2022
- Erin Hogan, B.S. 2021
- Laura Smith, B.S. 2019
- Cameron Mertz, B.S. 2019
- Elaine Stewart, B.S. 2019
- Jacob Lawton, B.S. 2018
- Kelsey Harrison, B.S. 2017
- Keyi Xu, B.S. 2015
- Anne Golematis, B.S. 2011
- Jim McGovern, B.S. 2010
- Eitan Berlaz, B.S. 2010
- Kristie Grammatikos, B.S. 2007
- Joe Houghton, B.S. 2007
- Marielle Newman, B.S. 2007
- Matthew Decker, B.S. 2006
- Andrew Klein, B.S. 2006
- Andrew Marshall, B.S. 2005
- Phil Matthews, B.S. 2005
- Steve Ramick, B.S. 2005
- John Kirkwood, B.S. 2004
- Keith Kirkwood, B.S. 2004
Former Postdoctoral Researchers
- Dr. Rachel Ford
- Dr. Peter Gilbert
- Dr. Yu-Jiun (Nate) Lin
- Dr. Yimin Luo
- Dr. Zhenhuan (Michael) Zhang
- Dr. Saket Kumar
- Dr. John Riley
- Dr. Jeffrey Richards – Assistant Prof. at Northwestern University [Link]
- Dr. Kevin Whitcomb
- Dr. Zachery Farrell
- Dr. Kevin Whitcomb
- Dr. Simon Rogers – Assistant Prof. at University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign [Link]
- Dr. Natalie Germann – Assistant Prof. at Technische Universitat Munchen [Link]
- Dr. Eric Yearley
- Dr. Jeremy Fowler
- Dr. Prachi Thareja – Assistant Prof. at Indian Institute of Technology Ghandhinagar [Link]
- Dr. Carlos López-Barrrón
- Dr. Jeffrey Rimer [Link]
- Dr. Jun Fang
- Dr. John Bishop
- Dr. Basavaraj Madivala – Assistant Prof. at Indian Institute of Technology Madras [Link]
- Dr. Aaron Eberle
- Dr. Armin Opitz
- Dr. Manish Kelkar
- Dr. Florian Nettesheim
- Dr. Caroline Nam Laufer
- Dr. Matthew Liberatore
- Dr. Emily Pollauf
- Dr. Young Sil Lee
- Dr. Raphael Pesche
- Dr. Stacey Elliot
- Dr. Gerhardt Fritz
- Dr. Leo Hanus
- Dr. Markus Banerjee
- Dr. Igor Bodnar
Former Visiting Researchers
- Dr. Liyan Shan (Harbin Institute of Technology)
- Caroline Giacomin (ETH Zurich)
- Dr. Hongsen He (Harbin Institute of Technology)
- Dr. Jun Dong Park (Seoul National University)
- Dr. Annekathrin Muetze (ETH-Z)
- Dr. Ingo Hoffmann (TU Berlin)
- Dr. Peggy Heunemann (TU Berlin)
- Dr. Michael Gradzielski (TU Berlin)
- Dr. Ramón Castañeda-Priego, Universidad de Guanajuato, Mexico
- Dr. Dimitris Vlassopoulos, FORTH Institute, Crete, Greece
- Dr. Jan Mewis, K.U. Leuven, Belgium
- Dr. Bruno D’Aguanno, CRS4, Sardinia
- Dr. Hans Christian Ottinger, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
- Dr. Jan K.G. Dhont, Forschungszentrum Julich
- Dr. Jan Vermant, K.U. Leuven, Belgium