Molecular Engineering of Soft Materials Symposium

December 10, 2025

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET

5201 Scott Hall

Soft materials text with molecule Molecular Engineering of Soft Materials is an interdisciplinary field that designs and controls the structure, properties, and function of soft materials by understanding and manipulating their molecular-level interactions. It involves applying principles from physics, chemistry, and biology to create novel materials, such as polymers, gels, colloids, and biological systems, with applications in medicine, energy, consumer products, and robotics. Key approaches include molecular design, directed self-assembly, and the study of emergent properties from the micro- to macro-scale.

The symposium will highlight cross-disciplinary research across CMU departments, with the goal of advancing soft materials research. We welcome CMU faculty, staff, postdocs, and students with an interest in soft materials research to join us for a day of faculty talks and a student poster session.

Symposium Schedule

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Registration & Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM: Welcome & Opening Remarks, Bruce Armitage

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM: Soft Materials Research Overview - Chemistry, Newell Washburn

9:20 AM - 9:35 AM: Soft Materials Research Overview - Chemical Engineering, Bob Tilton

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM: Soft Materials Research Overview - Materials Science & Engineering, Thomas O'Connor

9:50 AM - 10:15 AM: Faculty Foci - Session 1

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM: BREAK

10:30 AM - 11:20 AM: Faculty Foci - Session 2

11:20 AM - 11:35 AM: BREAK

11:35 AM - 12:00 PM: Faculty Foci - Session 3

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: LUNCH

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Student and Postdoc Posters

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Breakout Discussions - Student groups & Faculty groups

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Breakout Reporting

3:30 PM - 3:40 PM: PPG Remarks

3:40 PM - 3:50 PM: Closing Remarks

3:50 PM - 5:00 PM: Reception  

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