Events Calendar

AME - Department Seminar

Speaker: Jim Pfaendtner, Assistant Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Washington

Talk Title: Applications of "Bottom Up" Multiscale Modeling for Polymer Self Assembly and Protein-Surface Binding

Abstract: Computational models such as molecular dynamics (MD) hold great potential for connecting the atomic scale to the mesoscale for a wide range of problems of engineering interest. Unfortunately, severe computational restrictions often limit wide-ranging use of these tools. New multiscale modeling algorithms that are based on MD have been developed that can overcome these challenges, dramatically increasing the computer's viability as a tool for computation-driven discovery. The first part of this talk will highlight how we are using the computer to study the self-assembly of conjugated polymers in solution. The model polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) has been studied in a variety of solvents. Solvent and temperature-dependent trends are extracted to study the impact of solvation and polymer architecture on intra-chain and inter-chain interactions. The second part of the seminar will investigate how simulations can be used to study thermodynamic driving forces that lead to self-assembly of peptide monolayers on surfaces.

Biography: Jim Pfaendtner holds a B.S. in ChE (GA Tech, 2001) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering (Northwestern University, 2007). He joined the faculty of University of Washington in 2009 as an assistant professor. Prior to joining the UW he received an NSF IRFP postdoctoral fellowship to work under the supervision of Prof's Greg Voth and Michele Parrinello. Jim is the recipient of a 2012 NSF CAREER award and is a 2012 Kavli Fellow of the US National Academy of Science. Jim's research group focuses on development and application of computational tools for multiscale modeling and simulation of soft matter systems.

Host: Professor Hai Wang

More Info: http://ame-www.usc.edu/seminars/10-10-12-pfaendtner.shtml

Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - Room 150

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: April Mundy

Event Link: http://ame-www.usc.edu/seminars/10-10-12-pfaendtner.shtml