Colloquium Series: John Brady (CalTech)

Join us for another event in the 2018-2019 Colloquium Series as APS welcomes John Brady, Ph.D. to present on his recent research. Dr. Brady is currently a Chevron Professor of Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His group’s research interests are in “fluid mechanics and transport processes, with a special interest in problems at the interface between continuum mechanics and statistical mechanics.”

Forces, Stresses and the (Thermo?)dynamics of Active Matter

Abstract: A distinguishing feature of many living systems is their ability to move—to be active. Through their motion living systems are able self-assemble: birds flock, fish school, bacteria swarm, etc. But such behavior is not limited to living systems. Recent advances in colloid chemistry have led to the development of synthetic, nonliving particles that are able to undergo autonomous motion by converting chemical energy into mechanical motion and work. This intrinsic activity imparts new behaviors to active matter that distinguish it from equilibrium systems. Active matter generates its own internal stress, which can drive it far from equilibrium, and by so doing active matter can control and direct its own behavior and that of its surroundings. In this talk I will discuss our recent work on active matter and on the origin of a new source of stress that is responsible for self-assembly and pattern formation in active matter systems and a possible thermodynamic description of these far from equilibrium systems.