Date: October 1, 2020
Speaker: Richard Taylor, Dept. Head, UO Physics
Title: State of the Department
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date

Date: October 8, 2020
Speaker: Brian Smith, UO Physics
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date

Date: October 15, 2020
Speaker: Marcelle Soares-Santos, University of Michigan
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Tien-Tien Yu

Date: October 22, 2020
Speaker: Andrea Liu, University of Pennsylvania
Title: Exploiting the Malleability of Disorder to Design Biologically-Inspired Function
Abstract: The complexity of living systems poses a formidable challenge to physical scientists interested in biology. I will discuss one theoretical approach towards gaining possible insight into biological phenomena: to design systems to exhibit similar phenomena. To do so, we start with systems with complex energy/cost landscapes, which have far more variation in their properties than those with simple ones. This natural variation can be pushed even further by design, allowing us to tune in properties inspired by those common in living matter, such as the ability of proteins (e.g. hemoglobin) to change their conformations upon binding of an atom (oxygen) or molecule, or the ability of the brain’s vascular network to send enhanced blood flow and oxygen to specific areas of the brain associated with a given task. We create ensembles of systems designed for a given task to gain new insight into the relation between microscopic structure and function that may help us to understand living systems.
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Eric Corwin

Date: October 29, 2020
Speaker: Philip Phillips, University of Illinois
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Dietrich Belitz

Date: November 5, 2020
Speaker: Sabetta Matsumoto, Georgia Tech
Title: Twisted Topological Tangles or: the knot theory of knitting
Abstract: Imagine a 1D curve, then use it to fill a 2D manifold that covers an arbitrary 3D object – this computationally intensive materials challenge has been realized in the ancient technology known as knitting. This process for making functional materials 2D materials from 1D portable cloth dates back to prehistory, with the oldest known examples dating from the 11th century BCE. Knitted textiles are ubiquitous as they are easy and cheap to create, lightweight, portable, flexible and stretchy. As with many functional materials, the key to knitting’s extraordinary properties lies in its microstructure.

At the 1D level, knits are composed of an interlocking series of slip knots. At the most basic level there is only one manipulation that creates a knitted stitch – pulling a loop of yarn through another loop. However, there exist hundreds of books with thousands of patterns of stitches with seemingly unbounded complexity.

The topology of knitted stitches has a profound impact on the geometry and elasticity of the resulting fabric. This puts a new spin on additive manufacturing – not only can stitch pattern control the local and global geometry of a textile, but the creation process encodes mechanical properties within the material itself. Unlike standard additive manufacturing techniques, the innate properties of the yarn and the stitch microstructure has a direct effect on the global geometric and mechanical outcome of knitted fabrics.

Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Jayson Paulose

Date: November 12, 2020
Speaker: Kirill Shtengel , University of California
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Saumya Biswas

Date: November 19, 2020
Speaker: Cacey Bester, Swarthmore College
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Location: Remote/Zoom, details to be posted at later date
Host: Eric Corwin

Date: November 26, 2020
HAPPY THANKSGIVING