3rd Annual
3rd Annual SYMPOSIUM on the PHYSICS of SOFT MATERIALS

Sponsored by

The Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter

Saturday, May 2, 1998

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

* schedule *




Symposium on the Physics of Soft materials

Materials like classical fluids, liquid crystals, polymers, colloids, and emulsions are representative of what are now identified as "soft" as opposed to "hard" materials. They are materials that flow or distort easily in response to shear and other external forces. In spite of their liquid-like properties, they exhibit an astonishing variety of order from the simple orientational order of a nematic liquid crystal to the full periodic crystalline order of liquid crystalline blue phases or block copolymers. Soft materials provide ideal testing grounds for such fundamental concepts as the interplay between order and dynamics or topological defects. They are of primary importance to paint, food, petroleum, and other industries. In addition, most biological materials are soft. This symposium will bring together representatives from around the Delaware Valley to discuss recent advances in Soft Condensed Matter Physics. It will focus in particular on liquid crystals, colloids and emulsions, polymers, and soft materials of biological interest.

Format

There will be a series of invited talks complemented by shorter talks by members of the Penn and Delaware Valley community. There will also be informal an poster session at lunch in the afternoon.

Speakers Include:

Eric Kaler - University of Delaware
Bob Buttera - Dupont
James Knight - Princeton University
Nily Dan - University of Delaware
Mark Goulian - Rokefeller University
David Tees - University of Pennsylvania
Corey OÕHearn - University of Pennsylvania
Lawrence Ramos - University of Pennsylvania
Veronique Trappe - University of Pennsylvania

Registration Information

There is no registration fee for the symposium. Lunch will be provided as a part of the Symposium. However, you will need to pre-register in order to be included in the list for lunch.

Please send:

  Name, Title/Affiliation
  Address, City, State, Zip
  Home Phone, Office Phone/Fax

to:

Kathy Kramer
Assistant to the Director
LRSM, University of Pennsylvania
3231 Walnut St.
Philadelphia Pa 19104-6202
For further information, contact Kathy Kramer at
(215) 898-5425 or by FAX at (215) 898-8296
kramer@lrsm.upenn.edu

Local organizing committee:

David Weitz, Chair (215) 898-7522
Randy Kamien
T.C. Lubensky

Accommodations

For those persons requiring overnight accommodations, reservations can be made at the following on-campus locations:

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