The Softest Crystals

Colloquium Series

Randall Kamien

Vicki and William Abrams Professor in the Natural Sciences
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Kamien's research interests center on problems in condensed matter theory. He and his research group are currently exploring problems in liquid crystals, foams, soft self-assembly, and biological physics.

>> learn more about Dr. Kamien's research

Usually, crystals have three-dimensional periodicity.  Smectic liquid crystals, however, have one-dimensional order, even in three-dimensional samples.  These systems, as simple as they might seem, connect the physics of biomembranes, superconductivity, and even special relativity.  I will provide an introduction for non-specialists and show how this diverse set of ideas comes together in these very, very soft systems.

Join us for a reception prior to the talk at 3:45 in PHY 150.