Truskett Named 2015 American Physical Society Fellow
Thomas Truskett, professor and chair of the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). Nominated by the Topical Group on Soft Matter, Truskett was cited for “pioneering work elucidating how nanoscale interfaces impact the structure, dynamics and self-assembly of complex fluids and biomolecular systems.”
Truskett’s research studies how interfaces and confinement impact the properties of molecular liquids and crystals, colloidal and nanoparticle suspensions, protein solutions and glassy solids. His recent work focuses on three fundamental areas—self-assembly at the nanoscale, dynamics of confined liquids and structural arrest of complex fluids, which are important for applications ranging from biomedical imaging, for example noninvasive monitoring of tumors, to the delivery of therapeutic proteins to treat a wide range of diseases, including allergies, cancer and more.
“Professor Truskett’s intellectual abilities, background, originality of thought, research talent, dedication, accomplishments and character set him apart from other researchers in his field,” Dr. Doros Theodorou, professor of materials science and engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, said. “His research is unusually creative and resourceful, and his presentations are always thought-provoking and stimulating.”
Truskett is an alumnus of the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1996. He went on to receive is master’s (1998) and doctoral degrees (2001) in chemical engineering from Princeton University. His recent accolades and honors include being named a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (2015), earning the O’Donnell Award in Engineering for The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (2014), and being presented with the Dudley A. Saville Lectureship from Princeton University (2009).
Alumna and recent Centennial Lecture speaker Rachel Segalman (B.S. ’98) has also been named a 2015 fellow of APS. Segalman was nominated by the Division of Polymer Physics for “pioneering contributions to the understanding of conjugated, polypeptoid, and ion-containing polymers and co-polymers.”
The APS fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one’s professional peers for exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise. Election to Fellowship in the APS is limited to no more than half a percent of the membership. A list of the 2015 APS Fellows and citations can be found on the APS website.
Other Texas ChE faculty who have received this honor include Dr. James Chelikowsky (’87), Dr. Nicholas Peppas (’97), Dr. Roger Bonnecaze (’06) and Dr. Venkat Ganesan (’12).
Tags: advanced materials, American Institute of medical and Biological Engineering, American Physical Society, APS, centennial lecture, chairman, Cockrell School of Engineering, Division of Polymer Physics, Doros Theodorou, Dudley A. Saville Lectureship, James Chelikowsky, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, nanotechnology, National Technical University of Athens, Nicholas Peppas, ODonnell Award in Engineering, polymers, Princeton University, Rachel Segalman, Roger Bonnecaze, Texas ChE, The Academy of Medicine Engineering and Science of Texas, The University of Texas at Austin, Thomas Truskett, Topical Group on Soft Matter, UT Austin, Venkat Ganesan