Complex Flows and Soft Matter Group

The focus of the Complex Flows and Soft Matter Group is on fluid systems that are complex due to rheological properties, complicated flow geometry, complex multiphysics aspects of the forces governing the flows, or a combination of these factors. We carry out modeling and simulations of such problems, as well as developing appropriate computational methods. Current projects include mathematical modeling and simulation of membrane filtration, schooling and flocking models (for fish and bird locomotion), “quantum” behavior of walking droplets, flow of granular media, and wetting and de-wetting of thin liquid films under the action of a range of external forces. In some cases, we also carry out physical experiments in our Undergraduate Capstone Laboratory in coordination with the capstone course taken by our applied mathematics majors. Our work, in which we collaborate with scientists from a number of different institutions, is supported by the Center for Applied Mathematics and Statistics, the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and by grants from a number of federal research agencies.