Hosted by SCU and organized by the School of Chemical Engineering, the “International Soft Matter Symposium 2018 & 7th China Soft Matter Day” successfully convened from June 8th-10th. Among those who joined the symposium were David A. Weitz, professor at Harvard University and member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), the National Academy of Engineering (USA), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Paul Chaikin, professor at New York University and member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Jerome Bibette, professor at the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles in Paris; Professor Cheng Zhengdong of Texas A&M University; Professor Jin Woong Kim of Hanyang University; Professor H. Daniel Ou-Yan of Lehigh University; Professor Daeyeon Lee of the University of Pennsylvania; Professor An-Chang Shi of McMaster University; and Professor Sun Luyi of the University of Connecticut. Altogether nearly 40 invited experts in the field of soft matter research attended the symposium and gave talks on the latest results of their work. Further institutions represented at the event included the Leipzig Institute for New Materials Research, the Institute of Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Fudan University, and other prestigious research institutes and universities in China and abroad.
Professor David A. Weitz of Harvard University gives keynote: “Phase Separation in Colloidal Suspensions”
Sichuan University’s Professor Chu Liangyin presided over the symposium’s opening session, while David A. Weitz held the first keynote; other participants’ talks also focused on recent developments in the field of soft matter research.
ProfessorPaul Chaikin of New York University
Professor Jerome Bibette of the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles in Paris
Experts in physics, biology, chemistry, and materials offered substantive reports on the theme; specific topics included: phase separation in colloidal suspensions, Janus colloid surfactants for pickering emulsion microreactors, Janus colloid surfactants for pickering emulsion microreactors, microfluidic-directed intelligent materials with highly-ordered micro or nanostructures, bio-inspired multifunctional stimuli-responsive materials, programmed deformations of photolithographic patterned hydrogels, bio-inspired multifunctional hydrogel nano-/micromotors, flexible electronic textiles (E-textiles) for wearable devices, microfluidic strategies for cell encapsulation and application in regenerative medicine, facile synthesis of non-spherical organosilica particles with tunable morphology,electrical energy generation from a self-propelled droplet, microfluidic generation of micro/nanostructured biomaterials and 3D printing of conductive tough-hydrogel microfibers with ultra-stretchability and stress-sensitivity, etc. The participants held in-depth exchanges and discussions on related topics.
Excellent Poster Award Ceremony
The atmosphere during the three-day academic symposium was lively and laid back: participating experts and students engaged in constructive discussions, while students’ questions were answered clearly and thoroughly. The event also featured a poster competition and award ceremony to recognize the four most excellent posters displayed. The symposium offered SCU students and faculty a significant opportunity to engage with internationally leading scientists and to learn about the newest innovations in soft matter research, while at the same time offering specialists in this field an important platform for discussion to promote international exchange and cooperation in the field of soft matter science and technology, as well as advance the further development of the field.
