4/24/2023 Emily Jankauski
Charles Schroeder, the James Economy Professor, has been selected as a 2023 Society of Rheology fellow. He is one of six distinguished academics being recognized for their outstanding scientific, technological and scholarly accomplishments.
Written by Emily Jankauski
URBANA, Ill. — We’re home to ground-breaking scientists and engineers. Take Charles Schroeder, for example, who has been selected as a 2023 Society of Rheology fellow. The James Economy Professor is one of six distinguished academics being recognized for their outstanding scientific, technological and scholarly accomplishments.
“I was deeply honored and extremely happy to receive this recognition,” said Schroeder, who has been involved with the Society of Rheology for all 22 years of his professional career.
Rheology is the study of the flow of matter. Here scientists ask questions about how soft materials like polymers, particle suspensions and active materials deform when subjected to flow.
“Our research aims to understand how form and function arise in soft materials given precise control over molecular synthesis, structure and processing.”
Schroeder’s group has developed new approaches that allow for the precise design and characterization of single molecules in problems ranging from polymer physics to lipid vesicle dynamics.
In the area of single polymer dynamics, his group focuses on understanding how the collective behavior of individual molecules gives rise to bulk properties in polymeric materials.
His team’s work has extended the field of single polymer dynamics to new materials including rings and branched polymers.
In the area of vesicle and membrane dynamics, Schroeder and his group study the non-equilibrium dynamics of lipid vesicles in flow, including phase separation and dynamics of multi-component membranes under tension.
His group has developed the Stokes trap, a new method for manipulating and studying particles or molecules using only fluid flow.
This method offers a new approach for the precise manipulation and analysis of soft materials without the need for external fields like optical, electric, acoustic or magnetic fields, which is opening a new realm for studying particle dynamics and their interactions in flow, such as vesicle fusion, particle cluster dynamics and drop coalescence.
Our everyday lives rely on products composed of soft materials, such as polymers or particle suspensions — ranging from personal care products like shampoo and laundry detergent to containers and packaging and foods.
“Our work aims to understand at the molecular scale how these materials flow and deform when being processed with the overall goal being to use this fundamental understanding to develop new high-performance materials and processes for modern society,” Schroeder said.
His latest effort? Forming an understanding of how to develop new sustainable materials with circular lifecycles.
Above all, Schroeder values being able to work alongside his group members in leading these scientific discoveries.
“Beyond research, I would characterize my greatest accomplishments as supporting and mentoring young scientists who are getting started and established in the field,” he said.
The significance of having his name tacked to the list of prolific fellows isn’t lost on Schroeder.
“It is deeply satisfying and a major honor to receive this distinction,” Schroeder said. “Many of my mentors and heroes in the field have been previously honored by the SOR Fellowship, which makes this a special honor for me.”
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Additional 2023 fellows include:
- Emanuela Del Gado, Georgetown University professor
- Steven Hudson, National Institute of Standards and Technology physical scientist
- Srinivasa Raghavan, University of Maryland professor
- Evelyne van Ruymbeke, Université catholique de Louvain professor
- Paulo de Souza Mendes, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro professor