Steven Blaber

(Former) MSc Student, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Current Position
PhD Candidate
Department of Physics
Simon Fraser University
Website Email


Research Project

We are working on developing a theoretical description of liquid crystalline polymers using self-consistent field theory, specifically liquid crystalline polymeric brushes. A key property of liquid crystals is orientational order; however, models of polymers accounting for orientation (wormlike chain) are significantly more complex than those with no definite orientation (gaussian chain) or a fixed orientation (rigid rod). Because of this, models of liquid crystalline polymers with orientation dependence are not yet fully understood. Therefore, it is the purpose of my research to investigate the properties of liquid crystalline polymers accounting for orientation. This will give rise to interesting phases and novel material properties. This work relies heavily on computational physics and numerical methods.

Expertise

  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Computational Physics
  • Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
  • Biophysics

Education

  • 2019, Masters of Science (MSc), Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo
  • 2017, Bachelor of Science (BSc), Honours Physics, Simon Fraser University