Spring 2013 Polymer Seminar Series

PPST sponsors a series of seminars covering a broad range of topics of general interest to the polymer community, featuring speakers from both on and off campus. We invite the polymer community at MIT and elsewhere to participate. For further information, contact Professor Brad Olsen at bdolsen@mit.edu. All talks take place on Wednesdays.

SPRING 2013 SEMINAR LOCATION: 66-110

Seminar 3:30 PM / Refreshments 3:00 PM

 

 

NEXT SEMINAR:  Wednesday May 15th

“Polymeric Materials with Amplified Responses to Specific External Signals”

Prof. Scott T. Phillips, Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University

This presentation will describe molecular strategies for creating functional polymeric materials that provide amplified responses to specific stimuli. One approach employs end-capped polymers that depolymerize completely from head-to-tail when the end-cap is removed from the polymer in response to a stimulus. Applications to be discussed include shape-shifting materials, self-powered pumps, point-of-care diagnostics, as well as stimuli-responsive core-shell microcapsules.

FEBRUARY

6

“Scalable Directed Self-Assembly and Anisotropic Transport Properties of Block Copolymer and Surfactant Mesophases”

Prof. Chinedum Osuji, Dept. of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Yale University

13

“Theory of macromolecular transport
through protein channels and nanopores”

Prof. Murugappan Muthukumar
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, U. Mass./Amherst

20

“Using Molecular Simulation to Understand Cellulose Dissolution Mechanisms”

Prof. Ahmed Ismail
RWTH Aachen University
Chemical Engineering Molecular Simulations and Transformation

27

“Hydrogel-actuated integrated responsive systems (HAIRS): Moving towards adaptive, homeostatic materials”

Prof. Joanna Aizenberg, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard University

MARCH

6

MIT Polymer Day

12:00 – 2:00PM Poster Session Walker Memorial Grand Hall (50-140)

 

2:30 – 4:00PM Talks
Room 26-100
Reception to follow

1. “Using Self-assembly on Multiple Length Scales to Design Bio-inspired Light Harvesting Materials”

Charlotte Stewart-Sloan (Prof. Brad Olsen, PPST student)


2. “Hierarchically Structured Polymeric Surfaces – Applications in Reducing Fluid Friction and Enhancing Liquid-Repellency in Fabrics”

Siddarth Srinivasan (Prof. Robert Cohen & Prof. Gareth McKinley)

 

3. “Photo-controlled Growth of Telechelic Polymers and End-linked Polymer Gels”

Dr. Huaxing Zhou (Prof. Jeremiah Johnson) 

13

“Synthetic multifunctional polypeptide materials for biomedical applications”

Prof. Timothy Deming,  Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of California/Los Angeles

20

“Controlling Polymer Thin Films with Light”

Prof. Samuel W. Thomas
Department of Chemistry
Tufts University

27

NO SEMINAR (Spring Break)

APRIL

3

NO SEMINAR

10

NO SEMINAR

17

——>CANCELLED<—–

“Directed Deposition of Functional Polymers onto Structured Materials and Liquid Surfaces”

Prof. Malancha Gupta, Department of Chemical Engineering and
Materials Science,
University of Southern California

——>CANCELLED<—–

24

“The role of miscibility and mesostructure in organic photovoltaics”

Prof. Enrique D. Gomez, Department of Chemical Engineering
Pennsylvania State University

MAY

1

“Mixing it up in the polymer world: Understanding and controlling miscibility in polymer solutions and blends”

Prof. Jane E.G. Lipson, Department of Chemistry
Dartmouth College

15

“Polymeric Materials with Amplified Responses to Specific External Signals”

Prof. Scott Phillips, Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University
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